SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system. Examine eyes and visual system, diagnose problems or impairments, prescribe corrective lenses, and provide treatment. May prescribe therapeutic drugs to treat specific eye conditions. Ophthalmologists are included in “Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric” (29-1241).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 29-1041.
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 | $74,870 | $6,239 | $1,440 | $35.99 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $109,400 | $9,117 | $2,104 | $52.59 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $136,570 | $11,381 | $2,626 | $65.66 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $165,120 | $13,760 | $3,175 | $79.39 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $202,180 | $16,848 | $3,888 | $97.20 |
* 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 Optometrists is $136,570, which is 168% higher. Among the 71 occupations of the field Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks number 27 by median pay. With 42,790 jobs, it makes up about 2.8 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Optometrists pay by state
The highest median pay was in Alaska ($170,310), Maryland ($165,840) and North Carolina ($161,560). The lowest was in Oklahoma ($97,350), South Dakota ($102,320) and Idaho ($103,390). The most jobs were in California (6,890), Texas (4,110) and New York (2,390). The occupation is most concentrated in Rhode Island, where its share of all jobs is 1.8 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 60 | $170,310 | $165,120 | $81.88 |
| Maryland | 780 | $165,840 | $148,910 | $79.73 |
| North Carolina | 1,140 | $161,560 | $161,030 | $77.67 |
| Delaware | 190 | $161,270 | $142,820 | $77.54 |
| New York | 2,390 | $161,140 | $153,130 | $77.47 |
| New Jersey | 1,380 | $159,040 | $161,110 | $76.46 |
| Minnesota | 710 | $158,700 | $151,450 | $76.30 |
| Washington | 760 | $157,560 | $159,380 | $75.75 |
| Hawaii | 230 | $154,620 | $149,920 | $74.34 |
| Maine | 180 | $154,110 | $160,730 | $74.09 |
| Colorado | 880 | $152,000 | $152,460 | $73.08 |
| Massachusetts | 950 | $151,730 | $152,550 | $72.95 |
| Florida | 2,350 | $151,670 | $143,020 | $72.92 |
| Connecticut | 490 | $150,340 | $147,820 | $72.28 |
| South Carolina | 480 | $145,950 | $129,570 | $70.17 |
| Illinois | 1,540 | $145,620 | $143,720 | $70.01 |
| Alabama | 460 | $145,090 | $137,460 | $69.75 |
| New Mexico | 130 | $144,660 | $153,180 | $69.55 |
| Wisconsin | 790 | $139,720 | $142,800 | $67.17 |
| Kansas | 660 | $138,580 | $140,510 | $66.63 |
| Vermont | 90 | $137,290 | $146,240 | $66.01 |
| California | 6,890 | $136,300 | $147,420 | $65.53 |
| Michigan | 1,410 | $135,650 | $144,610 | $65.21 |
| Nevada | 430 | $135,650 | $137,020 | $65.22 |
| Indiana | 1,040 | $135,500 | $137,020 | $65.14 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,720 | $135,400 | $139,660 | $65.10 |
| Ohio | 1,300 | $134,850 | $133,960 | $64.83 |
| District of Columbia | 50 | $134,840 | $145,590 | $64.83 |
| Rhode Island | 250 | $134,520 | $145,800 | $64.67 |
| Tennessee | 660 | $134,170 | $120,920 | $64.51 |
| Missouri | 630 | $133,810 | $133,680 | $64.33 |
| Puerto Rico | 280 | $132,790 | $148,910 | $63.84 |
| North Dakota | 140 | $132,110 | $132,080 | $63.51 |
| Oregon | 560 | $132,020 | $127,920 | $63.47 |
| Virginia | 1,110 | $131,570 | $155,530 | $63.25 |
| Kentucky | 430 | $128,860 | $142,710 | $61.95 |
| Georgia | 870 | $128,830 | $128,630 | $61.94 |
| Texas | 4,110 | $126,000 | $124,760 | $60.58 |
| New Hampshire | 210 | $125,560 | $146,430 | $60.36 |
| Iowa | 450 | $125,380 | $123,250 | $60.28 |
| Nebraska | 340 | $125,040 | $132,660 | $60.12 |
| Arkansas | 320 | $124,470 | $125,460 | $59.84 |
| Arizona | 1,080 | $122,250 | $135,280 | $58.78 |
| Utah | 380 | $119,070 | $128,180 | $57.25 |
| Louisiana | 250 | $118,060 | $121,000 | $56.76 |
| West Virginia | 150 | $118,010 | $130,750 | $56.74 |
| Wyoming | 90 | $111,400 | $115,500 | $53.56 |
| Mississippi | 240 | $108,070 | $126,580 | $51.96 |
| Montana | 140 | $104,280 | $106,200 | $50.14 |
| Idaho | 160 | $103,390 | $113,870 | $49.71 |
| South Dakota | 190 | $102,320 | $118,060 | $49.19 |
| Oklahoma | 570 | $97,350 | $114,710 | $46.80 |
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
- Podiatrists$160,300 a year
- Medical Dosimetrists$147,470 a year
- Pharmacists$140,910 a year
- Physician Assistants$135,880 a year
- Nurse Midwives$134,040 a year
- Nurse Practitioners$132,300 a year
Common questions
How much do Optometrists earn in the United States?
The median pay was $136,570 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $74,870 and the highest-paid 10% more than $202,180.
How many people work as Optometrists?
About 42,790 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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