Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA make a median of $133,820 a year, or about $64.34 an hour. The range runs from $96K at the entry level to $174K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.65), that's roughly $135,651 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,493/month, or 18% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $134K get you in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Harrisburg-Carlisle’s Regional Price Parity (98.65). 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle
Optometrists pay in Harrisburg-Carlisle tracks closely to the national median, $134K locally vs. $137K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,493/month, 18.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 98.65) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for optometrists in metros near Harrisburg-Carlisle, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $154K | $150K |
| Pittsburgh | $130K | $137K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $151K | $151K |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $133K | $142K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $96K. Mid-career wages sit at $134K. Top earners bring in $174K or more, a $77K 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 (all 50 states + DC)
Track optometrists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Harrisburg-Carlisle numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Yes — at the median salary of $134K, rent takes 18.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,493/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $96K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,780/month. At HUD’s $1,493/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is optometrist a high-paying job in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $134K locally vs. $137K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Harrisburg-Carlisle compare to the national average for optometrists?
Harrisburg-Carlisle pays $134K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.65), the purchasing-power equivalent is $136K — below the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?
The median is $133,820 a year, that works out to about $64 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $96,330, and experienced optometrists can clear $173,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $134K enough to live in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,176/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,493/month, which eats 18.3% 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Harrisburg-Carlisle has a Regional Price Parity of 98.65 (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 $135,651 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.