Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Minnesota make a median of $158,700 a year, or about $76.3 an hour. The range runs from $97K at the entry level to $207K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $171,382 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,384/month, or 14.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Minnesota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $159K actually covers in Minnesota, month by month
About optometrists
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What this looks like in Minnesota
Minnesota sits well above the national pay line for optometrists, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $137K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,384/month, 15.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Minnesota offers a genuinely strong financial position for optometrists at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Minnesota
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $97K. Mid-career wages sit at $159K. Top earners bring in $207K or more, a $110K spread from bottom to top.
Optometrists salary by metro in Minnesota
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $160K | +1% | 470 |
| St. Cloud | $132K | -17% | 30 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Minnesota 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 Minnesota?
Yes — at the median salary of $159K, rent takes 15.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,384/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Minnesota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $97K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,937/month. At HUD’s $1,384/month FMR, rent would take 23% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is optometrist a high-paying job in Minnesota?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $159K here vs. $137K nationally.
How does Minnesota compare to the national average for optometrists?
Minnesota pays $159K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $171K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Minnesota?
The median is $158,700 a year, that works out to about $76 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $96,670, and experienced optometrists can clear $206,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $159K enough to live in Minnesota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,115/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,384/month, which eats 15.2% 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 Minnesota?
Minnesota has a Regional Price Parity of 92.6 (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 $171,382 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.