Median Salary
$136,570
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$65.66
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$202,180
entry level starts ~$74,870
Pay Grade
A+
elite pay · 43,000 employed
How much does an Optometrist make?
Optometrists in the United States bring home a median salary of $136,570 a year, or around $65.66 an hour. Pay spans a wide range: the bottom 10% earn under $74,870, while the top 10% earn $202,180.
That is $75,180 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Optometrist salary range by percentile
Half of all Optometrists earn between $109,400 and $165,120 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $74,870 | $36.00 |
|
| 25th percentile (early career) | $109,400 | $52.60 |
|
| 50th percentile (median) | $136,570 | $65.66 |
|
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $165,120 | $79.38 |
|
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $202,180 | $97.20 |
|
Highest-paying states for Optometrist
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Alaska leads the country for Optometrist pay at $170,310 a year, followed by Maryland ($165,840) and North Carolina ($161,560). At the other end, Oklahoma posts the lowest median at $97,350 — a gap of $72,960 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
Optometrist salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Alaska $170,310Maryland $165,840North Carolina $161,560Delaware $161,270New York $161,140New Jersey $159,040Minnesota $158,700Washington $157,560Hawaii $154,620Maine $154,110Colorado $152,000Massachusetts $151,730Florida $151,670Connecticut $150,340South Carolina $145,950Illinois $145,620Alabama $145,090New Mexico $144,660Wisconsin $139,720Kansas $138,580Vermont $137,290California $136,300Michigan $135,650Nevada $135,650Indiana $135,500Pennsylvania $135,400Ohio $134,850District of Columbia $134,840Rhode Island $134,520Tennessee $134,170Missouri $133,810North Dakota $132,110Oregon $132,020Virginia $131,570Kentucky $128,860Georgia $128,830Texas $126,000New Hampshire $125,560Iowa $125,380Nebraska $125,040Arkansas $124,470Arizona $122,250Utah $119,070Louisiana $118,060West Virginia $118,010Wyoming $111,400Mississippi $108,070Montana $104,280Idaho $103,390South Dakota $102,320Oklahoma $97,350
Workforce and education
About 43,000 people work as Optometrists in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $141,550 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Optometrist make in the United States?
The median Optometrist salary in the United States is $136,570 per year, or about $65.66 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $74,870, while the top 10% of earners make $202,180 or more.
How does Optometrist pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of A+ (elite pay), the Optometrist median of $136,570 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Optometrists the most?
Alaska is the highest-paying state for Optometrists, with a median salary of $170,310 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become an Optometrist?
Becoming an Optometrist typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Optometrists work in the United States?
About 43,000 people were employed as Optometrists in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.
Related salaries
Other healthcare roles with similar pay.
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median pay · 4,000 employed
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median pay · 10,000 employed
$95,780
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.