Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Michigan make a median of $135,650 a year, or about $65.21 an hour. The range runs from $98K at the entry level to $214K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $144,478 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,272/month, or 15.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Michigan. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $136K actually covers in Michigan, month by month
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What this looks like in Michigan
Optometrists pay in Michigan tracks closely to the national median, $136K locally vs. $137K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,272/month, 15.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Michigan
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $98K. Mid-career wages sit at $136K. Top earners bring in $214K or more, a $116K spread from bottom to top.
Optometrists salary by metro in Michigan
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $143K | +5% | 610 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $134K | -1% | 170 |
| Flint | $134K | -1% | 70 |
| Ann Arbor | $134K | -1% | 50 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $132K | -3% | 70 |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $131K | -4% | 70 |
| Traverse City | $118K | -13% | 40 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Michigan 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 Michigan?
Yes — at the median salary of $136K, rent takes 15.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Michigan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $98K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,103/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 21% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is optometrist a high-paying job in Michigan?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $136K locally vs. $137K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for optometrists?
Michigan pays $136K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $144K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Michigan?
The median is $135,650 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $98,110, and experienced optometrists can clear $213,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $136K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,142/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 15.6% 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 Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 $144,478 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.