Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Waterbury-Shelton, CT make a median of $136,590 a year, or about $65.67 an hour. The range runs from $93K at the entry level to $215K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.78), that's roughly $136,891 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,788/month, or 22.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $137K get you in Waterbury-Shelton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waterbury-Shelton’s Regional Price Parity (99.78). 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 Waterbury-Shelton
Optometrists pay in Waterbury-Shelton tracks closely to the national median, $137K locally vs. $137K nationwide, a 0% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,788/month, 22.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 99.78) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for optometrists in metros near Waterbury-Shelton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $150K | $146K |
| New Haven | $151K | $144K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $161K | $143K |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $155K | $143K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waterbury-Shelton, CT
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $93K. Mid-career wages sit at $137K. Top earners bring in $215K or more, a $121K 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 Waterbury-Shelton numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a optometrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterbury-Shelton?
Yes — at the median salary of $137K, rent takes 22.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,788/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Waterbury-Shelton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $93K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,590/month. At HUD’s $1,788/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 Waterbury-Shelton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $137K locally vs. $137K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Waterbury-Shelton compare to the national average for optometrists?
Waterbury-Shelton pays $137K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $137K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Waterbury-Shelton, CT?
The median is $136,590 a year, that works out to about $66 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $93,170, and experienced optometrists can clear $214,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $137K enough to live in Waterbury-Shelton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,072/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,788/month, which eats 22.2% 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 Waterbury-Shelton?
Waterbury-Shelton has a Regional Price Parity of 99.78 (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 $136,891 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.