Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in South Carolina make a median of $145,950 a year, or about $70.17 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $172K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $156,649 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 14.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $146K actually covers in South Carolina, month by month
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Optometrists pay in South Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $146K locally vs. $137K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 14.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.17 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, South Carolina
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $146K. Top earners bring in $172K or more, a $120K spread from bottom to top.
Optometrists salary by metro in South Carolina
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $156K | +7% | 90 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $155K | +6% | 70 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $150K | +3% | 50 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $149K | +2% | 70 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when South Carolina 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 South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $146K, rent takes 14.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,494/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 South Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $146K locally vs. $137K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for optometrists?
South Carolina pays $146K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $157K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do optometrists make in South Carolina?
The median is $145,950 a year, that works out to about $70 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,740, and experienced optometrists can clear $172,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $146K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,566/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 14.7% 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 South Carolina?
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 93.17 (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 $156,649 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.