Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC make a median of $150,010 a year, or about $72.12 an hour. The range runs from $76K at the entry level to $161K for experienced workers.
So what does $150K get you in Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach’s Regional Price Parity (93.6). 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 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach
Optometrists pay in Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach tracks closely to the national median, $150K locally vs. $137K nationwide, a 10% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,465/month, 16.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.6 (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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for optometrists in metros near Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $156K | , |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $155K | , |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $149K | , |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $129K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $150K. Top earners bring in $161K or more, a $85K 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 states
Track optometrists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach?
Yes — at the median salary of $150K, rent takes 16.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,465/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $76K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,583/month. At HUD’s $1,465/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $150K locally vs. $137K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach compare to the national average for optometrists?
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach pays $150K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $160K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC?
The median is $150,010 a year, that works out to about $72 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,390, and experienced optometrists can clear $161,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $150K enough to live in Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,776/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,465/month, which eats 16.7% 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 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach?
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median optometrists salary is worth about $160,267 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.