Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA make a median of $138,940 a year, or about $66.8 an hour. The range runs from $74K at the entry level to $210K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 113.57), so that salary is closer to $122,339 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,601/month, about 31.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $139K get you in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim’s Regional Price Parity (113.57). 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
Optometrists pay in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim tracks closely to the national median, $139K locally vs. $137K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $2,601/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 14% above the national average (BEA RPP 113.57), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for optometrists in metros near Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $143K | $123K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $135K | $123K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $133K | $119K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $139K | $130K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $74K. Mid-career wages sit at $139K. Top earners bring in $210K or more, a $136K 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $139K, rent takes 32.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,601/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $74K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,412/month. At HUD’s $2,601/month FMR, rent would take 59% 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $139K locally vs. $137K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim compare to the national average for optometrists?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim pays $139K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 113.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $122K — below the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA?
The median is $138,940 a year, that works out to about $67 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $73,540, and experienced optometrists can clear $209,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $139K enough to live in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,055/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,601/month, which eats 32.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a optometrists salary go in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim has a Regional Price Parity of 113.57 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median optometrists salary is worth about $122,339 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.