Optometrists Salary by State and Metro Area
Optometrists in the United States earn a median salary of $136,570/year ($65.66/hr). Salaries range from $74,870 to $202,180 depending on experience. Below, compare salaries across all 50 states and DC and 30 metro areas where BLS publishes data.
$75K
10th percentile
$109K
25th percentile
$137K
Median
$165K
75th percentile
$202K
90th percentile
Where Optometrists have the most money left over after rent
Median pay minus estimated federal + state + FICA taxes, minus 12 months of rent at HUD's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. Darker green means more money left over each year. Hover any state for the breakdown.
View map data as a table
| State | Median (nominal) | Rent/mo (2BR) | Left after rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $170K | $1,643 | $107K |
| North Carolina | $162K | $1,284 | $99K |
| Washington | $158K | $1,830 | $96K |
| Florida | $152K | $1,658 | $95K |
| Maryland | $166K | $1,795 | $95K |
| Delaware | $161K | $1,448 | $94K |
| Minnesota | $159K | $1,384 | $93K |
| Maine | $154K | $1,281 | $91K |
| New Mexico | $145K | $1,119 | $90K |
| Alabama | $145K | $1,085 | $90K |
| New York | $161K | $1,917 | $89K |
| South Carolina | $146K | $1,263 | $88K |
| Tennessee | $134K | $1,215 | $88K |
| New Jersey | $159K | $2,067 | $87K |
| Illinois | $146K | $1,407 | $86K |
| Indiana | $136K | $1,144 | $86K |
| North Dakota | $132K | $1,034 | $86K |
| Colorado | $152K | $1,832 | $86K |
| Kansas | $139K | $1,066 | $85K |
| Nevada | $136K | $1,501 | $85K |
| Ohio | $135K | $1,188 | $85K |
| Wisconsin | $140K | $1,202 | $85K |
| Connecticut | $150K | $1,679 | $85K |
| Missouri | $134K | $1,097 | $83K |
| Pennsylvania | $135K | $1,351 | $83K |
| Michigan | $136K | $1,272 | $82K |
| Kentucky | $129K | $1,110 | $80K |
| Texas | $126K | $1,415 | $80K |
| Vermont | $137K | $1,498 | $80K |
| Massachusetts | $152K | $2,347 | $79K |
| Rhode Island | $135K | $1,544 | $79K |
| Arkansas | $124K | $1,021 | $79K |
| Hawaii | $155K | $2,240 | $78K |
| New Hampshire | $126K | $1,528 | $78K |
| Iowa | $125K | $1,064 | $77K |
| Nebraska | $125K | $1,113 | $77K |
| Georgia | $129K | $1,434 | $75K |
| Wyoming | $111K | $1,008 | $75K |
| Virginia | $132K | $1,646 | $74K |
| West Virginia | $118K | $1,008 | $74K |
| Arizona | $122K | $1,437 | $74K |
| Louisiana | $118K | $1,191 | $73K |
| Oregon | $132K | $1,555 | $71K |
| Utah | $119K | $1,350 | $70K |
| District of Columbia | $135K | $2,146 | $69K |
| South Dakota | $102K | $1,017 | $68K |
| Mississippi | $108K | $1,077 | $66K |
| California | $136K | $2,471 | $65K |
| Idaho | $103K | $1,136 | $63K |
| Montana | $104K | $1,129 | $63K |
| Oklahoma | $97K | $1,081 | $60K |
Optometrists salary by state
| State | Median | Hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $170K | $81.88/hr | 60 |
| Maryland | $166K | $79.73/hr | 780 |
| North Carolina | $162K | $77.67/hr | 1,140 |
| Delaware | $161K | $77.54/hr | 190 |
| New York | $161K | $77.47/hr | 2,390 |
| New Jersey | $159K | $76.46/hr | 1,380 |
| Minnesota | $159K | $76.3/hr | 710 |
| Washington | $158K | $75.75/hr | 760 |
| Hawaii | $155K | $74.34/hr | 230 |
| Maine | $154K | $74.09/hr | 180 |
| Colorado | $152K | $73.08/hr | 880 |
| Massachusetts | $152K | $72.95/hr | 950 |
| Florida | $152K | $72.92/hr | 2,350 |
| Connecticut | $150K | $72.28/hr | 490 |
| South Carolina | $146K | $70.17/hr | 480 |
| Illinois | $146K | $70.01/hr | 1,540 |
| Alabama | $145K | $69.75/hr | 460 |
| New Mexico | $145K | $69.55/hr | 130 |
| Wisconsin | $140K | $67.17/hr | 790 |
| Kansas | $139K | $66.63/hr | 660 |
| Vermont | $137K | $66.01/hr | 90 |
| California | $136K | $65.53/hr | 6,890 |
| Michigan | $136K | $65.21/hr | 1,410 |
| Nevada | $136K | $65.22/hr | 430 |
| Indiana | $136K | $65.14/hr | 1,040 |
| Pennsylvania | $135K | $65.1/hr | 1,720 |
| Ohio | $135K | $64.83/hr | 1,300 |
| District of Columbia | $135K | $64.83/hr | 50 |
| Rhode Island | $135K | $64.67/hr | 250 |
| Tennessee | $134K | $64.51/hr | 660 |
| Missouri | $134K | $64.33/hr | 630 |
| North Dakota | $132K | $63.51/hr | 140 |
| Oregon | $132K | $63.47/hr | 560 |
| Virginia | $132K | $63.25/hr | 1,110 |
| Kentucky | $129K | $61.95/hr | 430 |
| Georgia | $129K | $61.94/hr | 870 |
| Texas | $126K | $60.58/hr | 4,110 |
| New Hampshire | $126K | $60.36/hr | 210 |
| Iowa | $125K | $60.28/hr | 450 |
| Nebraska | $125K | $60.12/hr | 340 |
| Arkansas | $124K | $59.84/hr | 320 |
| Arizona | $122K | $58.78/hr | 1,080 |
| Utah | $119K | $57.25/hr | 380 |
| Louisiana | $118K | $56.76/hr | 250 |
| West Virginia | $118K | $56.74/hr | 150 |
| Wyoming | $111K | $53.56/hr | 90 |
| Mississippi | $108K | $51.96/hr | 240 |
| Montana | $104K | $50.14/hr | 140 |
| Idaho | $103K | $49.71/hr | 160 |
| South Dakota | $102K | $49.19/hr | 190 |
| Oklahoma | $97K | $46.8/hr | 570 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Top paying metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $176K | 40 |
| Asheville, NC | $168K | 40 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $168K | 420 |
| Anchorage, AK | $167K | 30 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $167K | 40 |
| Peoria, IL | $167K | 50 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $166K | 70 |
| Dover, DE | $166K | 30 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $166K | 160 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $165K | 80 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $164K | 130 |
| Wilmington, NC | $164K | 120 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $163K | 240 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $163K | 80 |
| Birmingham, AL | $163K | 110 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $163K | 80 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $163K | 70 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $162K | 90 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $162K | 150 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $162K | 80 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $161K | 100 |
| Huntsville, AL | $161K | 50 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $161K | 2,580 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $161K | 40 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | $160K | 30 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $160K | 290 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $160K | 470 |
| Rochester, NY | $159K | 120 |
| Savannah, GA | $159K | 30 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $158K | 470 |