Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Salinas, CA make a median of $133,350 a year, or about $64.11 an hour. The range runs from $108K at the entry level to $164K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.04), so that salary is closer to $122,295 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,684/month, about 34.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $133K get you in Salinas?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salinas’s Regional Price Parity (109.04). 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 Salinas
Optometrists pay in Salinas tracks closely to the national median, $133K locally vs. $137K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $2,684/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 109.04), 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 Salinas, 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, Salinas, CA
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $108K. Mid-career wages sit at $133K. Top earners bring in $164K or more, a $57K 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 Salinas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Salinas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $133K, rent takes 34.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,684/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Salinas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $108K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,459/month. At HUD’s $2,684/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Salinas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $133K locally vs. $137K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Salinas compare to the national average for optometrists?
Salinas pays $133K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 109.04), the purchasing-power equivalent is $122K — below the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Salinas, CA?
The median is $133,350 a year, that works out to about $64 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $107,650, and experienced optometrists can clear $164,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $133K enough to live in Salinas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,780/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,684/month, which eats 34.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a optometrists salary go in Salinas?
Salinas has a Regional Price Parity of 109.04 (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 $122,295 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.