Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in College Station-Bryan, TX make a median of $128,500 a year, or about $61.78 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $152K for experienced workers.
So what does $129K get you in College Station-Bryan?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by College Station-Bryan’s Regional Price Parity (91). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About optometrists
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What this looks like in College Station-Bryan
Optometrists pay in College Station-Bryan tracks closely to the national median, $129K locally vs. $137K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $974/month, 11.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for optometrists in metros near College Station-Bryan, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $125K | , |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $141K | , |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $112K | , |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $130K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, College Station-Bryan, TX
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $129K. Top earners bring in $152K or more, a $105K spread from bottom to top.
Optometrists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Optometrists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $170K | +25% | 60 |
| Maryland | $166K | +21% | 780 |
| North Carolina | $162K | +18% | 1,140 |
| Delaware | $161K | +18% | 190 |
| New York | $161K | +18% | 2,390 |
| New Jersey | $159K | +16% | 1,380 |
| Minnesota | $159K | +16% | 710 |
| Washington | $158K | +15% | 760 |
| Hawaii | $155K | +13% | 230 |
| Maine | $154K | +13% | 180 |
| Colorado | $152K | +11% | 880 |
| Massachusetts | $152K | +11% | 950 |
| Florida | $152K | +11% | 2,350 |
| Connecticut | $150K | +10% | 490 |
| South Carolina | $146K | +7% | 480 |
| Illinois | $146K | +7% | 1,540 |
| Alabama | $145K | +6% | 460 |
| New Mexico | $145K | +6% | 130 |
| Wisconsin | $140K | +2% | 790 |
| Kansas | $139K | +1% | 660 |
| Vermont | $137K | +1% | 90 |
| California | $136K | -0% | 6,890 |
| Michigan | $136K | -1% | 1,410 |
| Nevada | $136K | -1% | 430 |
| Indiana | $136K | -1% | 1,040 |
| Pennsylvania | $135K | -1% | 1,720 |
| Ohio | $135K | -1% | 1,300 |
| District of Columbia | $135K | -1% | 50 |
| Rhode Island | $135K | -2% | 250 |
| Tennessee | $134K | -2% | 660 |
| Missouri | $134K | -2% | 630 |
| North Dakota | $132K | -3% | 140 |
| Oregon | $132K | -3% | 560 |
| Virginia | $132K | -4% | 1,110 |
| Kentucky | $129K | -6% | 430 |
| Georgia | $129K | -6% | 870 |
| Texas | $126K | -8% | 4,110 |
| New Hampshire | $126K | -8% | 210 |
| Iowa | $125K | -8% | 450 |
| Nebraska | $125K | -8% | 340 |
| Arkansas | $124K | -9% | 320 |
| Arizona | $122K | -10% | 1,080 |
| Utah | $119K | -13% | 380 |
| Louisiana | $118K | -14% | 250 |
| West Virginia | $118K | -14% | 150 |
| Wyoming | $111K | -18% | 90 |
| Mississippi | $108K | -21% | 240 |
| Montana | $104K | -24% | 140 |
| Idaho | $103K | -24% | 160 |
| South Dakota | $102K | -25% | 190 |
| Oklahoma | $97K | -29% | 570 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track optometrists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when College Station-Bryan numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in College Station-Bryan?
Yes — at the median salary of $129K, rent takes 11.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $974/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in College Station-Bryan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,840/month. At HUD’s $974/month FMR, rent would take 34% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is optometrist a high-paying job in College Station-Bryan?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $129K locally vs. $137K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does College Station-Bryan compare to the national average for optometrists?
College Station-Bryan pays $129K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91), the purchasing-power equivalent is $141K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do optometrists make in College Station-Bryan, TX?
The median is $128,500 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,340, and experienced optometrists can clear $151,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $129K enough to live in College Station-Bryan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,215/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $974/month, which eats 11.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a optometrists salary go in College Station-Bryan?
College Station-Bryan has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median optometrists salary is worth about $141,209 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do optometrists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.