Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Trenton-Princeton, NJ make a median of $155,960 a year, or about $74.98 an hour. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $311K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.18), that's roughly $151,153 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,950/month, or 21.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $156K get you in Trenton-Princeton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Trenton-Princeton’s Regional Price Parity (103.18). 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 Trenton-Princeton
Trenton-Princeton sits well above the national pay line for optometrists, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $137K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,950/month, 21.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 103.18) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Trenton-Princeton offers a genuinely strong financial position for optometristss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for optometrists in metros near Trenton-Princeton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $161K | $143K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $154K | $150K |
| Pittsburgh | $130K | $137K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $166K | $173K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $156K. Top earners bring in $311K or more, a $257K 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 states
Track optometrists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Trenton-Princeton numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Trenton-Princeton?
Yes — at the median salary of $156K, rent takes 21.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,950/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Trenton-Princeton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,229/month. At HUD’s $1,950/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $156K here vs. $137K nationally.
How does Trenton-Princeton compare to the national average for optometrists?
Trenton-Princeton pays $156K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $151K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?
The median is $155,960 a year, that works out to about $75 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,810, and experienced optometrists can clear $310,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $156K enough to live in Trenton-Princeton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,129/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,950/month, which eats 21.4% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Trenton-Princeton has a Regional Price Parity of 103.18 (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 $151,153 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.