Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR make a median of $114,360 a year, or about $54.98 an hour. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $174K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.36), which stretches that salary to about $127,977 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,147/month, or 15.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $114K get you in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway’s Regional Price Parity (89.36). 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
Pay for optometrists in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $137K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,147/month, 16.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway can be a reasonable trade-off for optometristss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for optometrists in metros near Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $132K | $144K |
| Fort Smith | $109K | $127K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $125K | $126K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $141K | $137K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $114K. Top earners bring in $174K 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 (all 50 states + DC)
Track optometrists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Yes — at the median salary of $114K, rent takes 16.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,147/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,126/month. At HUD’s $1,147/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is optometrist a high-paying job in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $114K here vs. $137K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway compare to the national average for optometrists?
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway pays $114K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $128K — below the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR?
The median is $114,360 a year, that works out to about $55 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $68,770, and experienced optometrists can clear $173,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $114K enough to live in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,046/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,147/month, which eats 16.3% 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway has a Regional Price Parity of 89.36 (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 $127,977 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.