Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Nebraska make a median of $125,040 a year, or about $60.12 an hour. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $205K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.05), which stretches that salary to about $138,856 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,113/month, or 14.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Nebraska. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $125K actually covers in Nebraska, month by month
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What this looks like in Nebraska
Optometrists pay in Nebraska tracks closely to the national median, $125K locally vs. $137K nationwide, a 8% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,113/month, 14.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.05 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Nebraska
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $125K. Top earners bring in $205K or more, a $140K spread from bottom to top.
Optometrists salary by metro in Nebraska
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha | $127K | +2% | 140 |
| Lincoln | $127K | +1% | 70 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Nebraska 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 Nebraska?
Yes — at the median salary of $125K, rent takes 14.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,113/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Nebraska?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,296/month. At HUD’s $1,113/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is optometrist a high-paying job in Nebraska?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $125K locally vs. $137K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Nebraska compare to the national average for optometrists?
Nebraska pays $125K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.05), the purchasing-power equivalent is $139K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Nebraska?
The median is $125,040 a year, that works out to about $60 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,170, and experienced optometrists can clear $205,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $125K enough to live in Nebraska?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,504/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,113/month, which eats 14.8% 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 Nebraska?
Nebraska has a Regional Price Parity of 90.05 (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 $138,856 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.