SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Diagnose and perform surgery to treat and help prevent disorders and diseases of the eye. May also provide vision services for treatment including glasses and contacts. Excludes “Optometrists” (29-1041) and “Pediatric Surgeons” (29-1243).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 29-1241.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $100,180 | $8,348 | $1,927 | $48.16 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $173,650 | $14,471 | $3,339 | $83.49 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $300,080 | $25,007 | $5,771 | $144.27 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $421,530 | $35,128 | $8,106 | $202.66 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $489,710 | $40,809 | $9,418 | $235.44 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric is $300,080, which is 489% higher. Among the 71 occupations of the field Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks number 12 by median pay. With 8,950 jobs, it makes up about 0.6 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric pay by state
The highest median pay was in Rhode Island ($450,370), New Hampshire ($404,330) and California ($400,150). The lowest was in Kentucky ($101,940), Louisiana ($155,250) and Indiana ($168,600). The most jobs were in New York (960), California (820) and Illinois (620). The occupation is most concentrated in Rhode Island, where its share of all jobs is 6.2 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | 180 | $450,370 | $336,620 | $216.52 |
| New Hampshire | 50 | $404,330 | $346,190 | $194.39 |
| California | 820 | $400,150 | $347,690 | $192.38 |
| Florida | 580 | $399,440 | $391,060 | $192.04 |
| Iowa | 90 | $394,900 | $352,380 | $189.86 |
| Georgia | 120 | $382,920 | $342,700 | $184.10 |
| Minnesota | 180 | $372,200 | $373,600 | $178.94 |
| New York | 960 | $360,050 | $353,390 | $173.10 |
| Nevada | not published | $345,600 | $291,710 | $166.15 |
| Maine | 90 | $337,850 | $320,460 | $162.43 |
| Oregon | 210 | $334,450 | $357,880 | $160.79 |
| Massachusetts | 450 | $325,200 | $297,280 | $156.35 |
| Texas | not published | $323,010 | $316,220 | $155.30 |
| Alabama | not published | $305,200 | $289,830 | $146.73 |
| Washington | 180 | $304,830 | $330,130 | $146.56 |
| Pennsylvania | 310 | $304,290 | $299,730 | $146.29 |
| Colorado | 100 | $288,050 | $312,170 | $138.49 |
| Illinois | 620 | $284,630 | $260,500 | $136.84 |
| Ohio | 150 | $271,270 | $339,480 | $130.42 |
| Arkansas | 30 | $259,320 | $255,110 | $124.67 |
| Vermont | 30 | $258,910 | $254,130 | $124.48 |
| Tennessee | 230 | $231,040 | $268,340 | $111.08 |
| Missouri | not published | $228,410 | $295,990 | $109.81 |
| Oklahoma | not published | $215,760 | $207,100 | $103.73 |
| South Carolina | 100 | $214,160 | $275,240 | $102.96 |
| Wisconsin | 250 | $213,890 | $267,540 | $102.83 |
| South Dakota | 130 | $211,990 | $225,800 | $101.92 |
| Maryland | 260 | $211,770 | $227,450 | $101.81 |
| Utah | 30 | $188,490 | $250,050 | $90.62 |
| Michigan | 150 | $179,720 | $258,160 | $86.41 |
| Virginia | not published | $177,410 | $301,640 | $85.29 |
| Indiana | 160 | $168,600 | $271,760 | $81.06 |
| Louisiana | 30 | $155,250 | $175,570 | $74.64 |
| Kentucky | 70 | $101,940 | $181,520 | $49.01 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Dermatologists$328,730 a year
- Physicians, Pathologists$312,400 a year
- Prosthodontists$311,180 a year
- Obstetricians and Gynecologists$292,910 a year
- Orthodontists$289,140 a year
- Psychiatrists$281,870 a year
Common questions
How much do Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric earn in the United States?
The median pay was $300,080 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $100,180 and the highest-paid 10% more than $489,710.
How many people work as Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric?
About 8,950 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
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