Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Louisiana make a median of $118,060 a year, or about $56.76 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $184K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $135,266 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,191/month, or 16% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $118K actually covers in Louisiana, month by month
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for optometrists in Louisiana runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $137K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,191/month, 16.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Louisiana can be a reasonable trade-off for optometrists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $118K. Top earners bring in $184K or more, a $138K spread from bottom to top.
Optometrists salary by metro in Louisiana
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $136K | +15% | 50 |
| Baton Rouge | $115K | -2% | 40 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $118K, rent takes 16.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,096/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 Louisiana?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $118K here vs. $137K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for optometrists?
Louisiana pays $118K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $135K — below the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Louisiana?
The median is $118,060 a year, that works out to about $57 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,420, and experienced optometrists can clear $183,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $118K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,250/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 16.4% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $135,266 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.