Optometrists Salary
Optometrists in Wisconsin make a median of $139,720 a year, or about $67.17 an hour. The range runs from $75K at the entry level to $204K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $148,118 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,202/month, or 14.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $140K actually covers in Wisconsin, month by month
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Optometrists pay in Wisconsin tracks closely to the national median, $140K locally vs. $137K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,202/month, 14.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Wisconsin
Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) start around $75K. Mid-career wages sit at $140K. Top earners bring in $204K or more, a $128K spread from bottom to top.
Optometrists salary by metro in Wisconsin
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse-Onalaska | $176K | +26% | 40 |
| Appleton | $150K | +7% | 60 |
| Green Bay | $145K | +4% | 40 |
| Wausau | $143K | +2% | 30 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $132K | -5% | 210 |
| Madison | $128K | -8% | 100 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin?
Yes — at the median salary of $140K, rent takes 14.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for optometrists in Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new optometrists typically earn — is $75K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,873/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 25% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is optometrist a high-paying job in Wisconsin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $140K locally vs. $137K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for optometrists?
Wisconsin pays $140K median vs. the U.S. average of $137K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $148K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do optometrists make in Wisconsin?
The median is $139,720 a year, that works out to about $67 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $75,390, and experienced optometrists can clear $203,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $140K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,324/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 14.4% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $148,118 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.