Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA make a median of $129,990 a year, or about $62.5 an hour. The range runs from $104K at the entry level to $206K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.44), so that salary is closer to $122,125 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,201/month, or 28.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $130K get you in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario’s Regional Price Parity (106.44). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
Optometrists pay in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario tracks closely to the national median, $130K locally vs. $137K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $2,201/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.44), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for optometrists in metros near Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $139K | $122K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $143K | $123K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $135K | $123K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $133K | $119K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $104K. Mid-career wages sit at $130K. Top earners bring in $206K or more, a $102K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
Yes — at the median salary of $130K, rent takes 28.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,201/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $104K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,250/month. At HUD’s $2,201/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $130K locally vs. $137K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario compare to the national average for optometrists?
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario pays $130K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $122K — below the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA?
The median is $129,990 a year, that works out to about $63 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $104,170, and experienced optometrists can clear $206,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $130K enough to live in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,615/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,201/month, which eats 28.9% 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario has a Regional Price Parity of 106.44 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median optometrists salary is worth about $122,125 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.