Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Florida make a median of $151,670 a year, or about $72.92 an hour. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $196K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $153,855 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,658/month, or 17% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $152K get you in Florida?
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What this looks like in Florida
Florida sits well above the national pay line for optometrists, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $137K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,658/month, 17.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Florida offers a genuinely strong financial position for optometristss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florida
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $152K. Top earners bring in $196K or more, a $134K spread from bottom to top.
Optometrists salary by metro in Florida
11 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $163K | +7% | 80 |
| Jacksonville | $162K | +7% | 150 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $162K | +7% | 80 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $160K | +6% | 290 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $158K | +4% | 50 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $157K | +4% | 120 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent | $154K | +2% | 70 |
| Ocala | $153K | +1% | 40 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $139K | -8% | 60 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $138K | -9% | 350 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $126K | -17% | 820 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
Yes — at the median salary of $152K, rent takes 17.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,749/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 44% 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 Florida?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $152K here vs. $137K nationally.
How does Florida compare to the national average for optometrists?
Florida pays $152K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $154K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Florida?
The median is $151,670 a year, that works out to about $73 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,490, and experienced optometrists can clear $196,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $152K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,535/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 17.4% 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 Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median optometrists salary is worth about $153,855 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.