Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Utah make a median of $119,070 a year, or about $57.25 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $172K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.54), that's roughly $120,834 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,350/month, or 17.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Utah. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $119K actually covers in Utah, month by month
About optometrists
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What this looks like in Utah
Pay for optometrists in Utah runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $137K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,350/month, 18.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 98.54) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Utah can be a reasonable trade-off for optometrists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Utah
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $119K. Top earners bring in $172K or more, a $128K spread from bottom to top.
Optometrists salary by metro in Utah
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $137K | +15% | 150 |
| Ogden | $132K | +11% | 70 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $86K | -28% | 60 |
| St. George | $80K | -33% | 30 |
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Track optometrists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Utah 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 Utah?
Yes — at the median salary of $119K, rent takes 18.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,350/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Utah?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,975/month. At HUD’s $1,350/month FMR, rent would take 45% 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 Utah?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $119K here vs. $137K nationally.
How does Utah compare to the national average for optometrists?
Utah pays $119K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $121K — below the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Utah?
The median is $119,070 a year, that works out to about $57 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,470, and experienced optometrists can clear $172,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $119K enough to live in Utah?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,217/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,350/month, which eats 18.7% 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 Utah?
Utah has a Regional Price Parity of 98.54 (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 $120,834 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.