Optometrists Salary in Wilmington, NC
Optometrists in Wilmington, NC make a median of $155,760 a year, or about $74.88 an hour. Entry-level workers start around $106K. (BLS did not publish a top-end figure for this area.) Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.42), that's roughly $161,543 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,426/month, or 14.8% of estimated take-home pay.
AffordMap analysis of BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (latest release, May 2024)
So what does $156K get you in Wilmington?
About optometrists
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wilmington, NC
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $106K. Mid-career wages sit at $156K.BLS did not publish 90th percentile data for this occupation in this area (sample size too small).
Optometrists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $166K | +23% | 70 |
| New York | $163K | +21% | 2,500 |
| Maryland | $158K | +17% | 870 |
| Washington | $158K | +17% | 930 |
| Vermont | $156K | +16% | 100 |
| New Jersey | $156K | +16% | 950 |
| New Mexico | $155K | +15% | 140 |
| District of Columbia | $154K | +14% | 60 |
| North Carolina | $154K | +14% | 1,400 |
| Massachusetts | $151K | +12% | 1,120 |
| Minnesota | $150K | +11% | 700 |
| Nevada | $147K | +9% | 360 |
| Rhode Island | $144K | +7% | 220 |
| Connecticut | $143K | +6% | 410 |
| Delaware | $138K | +2% | 180 |
Track optometrists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wilmington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do optometrists make in Wilmington, NC?
The median is $155,760 a year - that works out to about $74.88 an hour. The range is wide: entry-level workers start around $106,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $156K enough to live in Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,184/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,426/month (HUD Fair Market Rent), which eats 15.5% 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 Wilmington?
Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 96.42 (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 $161,543 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.