Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT make a median of $86,250 a year, or about $41.47 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $172K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.23), that's roughly $87,804 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,460/month, or 26.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $86K actually covers in Provo-Orem-Lehi, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Provo-Orem-Lehi’s Regional Price Parity (98.23). 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 Provo-Orem-Lehi
Pay for optometrists in Provo-Orem-Lehi runs about 37% below the U.S. median of $137K. Rent runs $1,460/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.23) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for optometrists in metros near Provo-Orem-Lehi, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $137K | $136K |
| Ogden | $132K | $132K |
| St. George | $80K | $82K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $116K | $112K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $86K. Top earners bring in $172K or more, a $137K 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 (all 50 states + DC)
Track optometrists salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Provo-Orem-Lehi?
Yes — at the median salary of $86K, rent takes 26.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,460/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Provo-Orem-Lehi?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,397/month. At HUD’s $1,460/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Provo-Orem-Lehi?
Local pay runs 37% below the national median — $86K here vs. $137K nationally.
How does Provo-Orem-Lehi compare to the national average for optometrists?
Provo-Orem-Lehi pays $86K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s -37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — below the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT?
The median is $86,250 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,310, and experienced optometrists can clear $172,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $86K enough to live in Provo-Orem-Lehi?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,421/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,460/month, which eats 26.9% 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 Provo-Orem-Lehi?
Provo-Orem-Lehi has a Regional Price Parity of 98.23 (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 $87,804 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.