Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for ophthalmologists, except pediatrics across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $304,650 ≈ $146/hr
National median salary $300,080
Total employment 8,950 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +4.3%
Faster than average
Annual openings 300 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 12,500 → 13,100 (+500)
Typical entry education Doctoral or professional degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Louisiana$175,570
- Kentucky$181,520
- Oklahoma$207,100
- South Dakota$225,800
- Maryland$227,450
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | $391,060 | $399,440 | $188 | +28.4% | 580 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $373,600 | $372,200 | $180 | +22.6% | 180 |
| 3 | Oregon | $357,880 | $334,450 | $172 | +17.5% | 210 |
| 4 | New York | $353,390 | $360,050 | $170 | +16% | 960 |
| 5 | Iowa | $352,380 | $394,900 | $169 | +15.7% | 90 |
| 6 | California | $347,690 | $400,150 | $167 | +14.1% | 820 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $346,190 | $404,330 | $166 | +13.6% | 50 |
| 8 | Georgia | $342,700 | $382,920 | $165 | +12.5% | 120 |
| 9 | Ohio | $339,480 | $271,270 | $163 | +11.4% | 150 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $336,620 | $450,370 | $162 | +10.5% | 180 |
| 11 | Washington | $330,130 | $304,830 | $159 | +8.4% | 180 |
| 12 | Maine | $320,460 | $337,850 | $154 | +5.2% | 90 |
| 13 | Texas | $316,220 | $323,010 | $152 | +3.8% | — |
| 14 | Colorado | $312,170 | $288,050 | $150 | +2.5% | 100 |
| 15 | Virginia | $301,640 | $177,410 | $145 | -1% | — |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $299,730 | $304,290 | $144 | -1.6% | 310 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $297,280 | $325,200 | $143 | -2.4% | 450 |
| 18 | Missouri | $295,990 | $228,410 | $142 | -2.8% | — |
| 19 | Nevada | $291,710 | $345,600 | $140 | -4.2% | — |
| 20 | Alabama | $289,830 | $305,200 | $139 | -4.9% | — |
| 21 | South Carolina | $275,240 | $214,160 | $132 | -9.7% | 100 |
| 22 | Indiana | $271,760 | $168,600 | $131 | -10.8% | 160 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $268,340 | $231,040 | $129 | -11.9% | 230 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $267,540 | $213,890 | $129 | -12.2% | 250 |
| 25 | Illinois | $260,500 | $284,630 | $125 | -14.5% | 620 |
| 26 | Michigan | $258,160 | $179,720 | $124 | -15.3% | 150 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $255,110 | $259,320 | $123 | -16.3% | 30 |
| 28 | Vermont | $254,130 | $258,910 | $122 | -16.6% | 30 |
| 29 | Utah | $250,050 | $188,490 | $120 | -17.9% | 30 |
| 30 | Maryland | $227,450 | $211,770 | $109 | -25.3% | 260 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $225,800 | $211,990 | $109 | -25.9% | 130 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $207,100 | $215,760 | $100 | -32% | — |
| 33 | Kentucky | $181,520 | $101,940 | $87 | -40.4% | 70 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $175,570 | $155,250 | $84 | -42.4% | 30 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 34 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $700,850 | $584,430 | 60 |
| 2 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $433,520 | $355,610 | — |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $429,080 | $317,930 | — |
| 4 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $412,900 | $340,040 | 60 |
| 5 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $399,020 | $331,560 | 200 |
| 6 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $389,450 | $359,290 | — |
| 7 | Worcester, MA | $387,810 | $318,960 | 30 |
| 8 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $359,980 | $325,030 | 210 |
| 9 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $337,850 | $300,670 | 60 |
| 10 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $332,670 | $278,840 | — |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing ophthalmologists, except pediatrics (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Outpatient Care Centers | $458,580 | $414,630 | 300 |
| 2 | Hospitals, Privately Owned | $315,660 | $299,460 | 620 |
| 3 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, Privately Owned | $315,660 | $299,760 | 620 |
| 4 | Ambulatory Health Care Services | $303,920 | $312,820 | 7,700 |
| 5 | Offices of Physicians | $303,920 | $313,490 | 6,750 |
| 6 | Sector 62 - Health Care and Social Assistance | $303,920 | $309,600 | 8,450 |
| 7 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $303,040 | $308,910 | 8,620 |
| 8 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $300,080 | $304,650 | 8,950 |
| 9 | Hospitals | $246,010 | $276,650 | 750 |
| 10 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $246,010 | $276,840 | 750 |
| 11 | Educational Services | $225,210 | $229,150 | 260 |
| 12 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $225,210 | $229,150 | 260 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do ophthalmologists, except pediatric make in the U.S.?
The median ophthalmologists, except pediatric salary in the United States is $300,080 per year (mean $304,650), and about 80% earn between $100,180 and $489,710.
How much do ophthalmologists, except pediatric make per hour?
Roughly $146 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $304,650 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays ophthalmologists, except pediatric the most?
Florida has the highest average pay for ophthalmologists, except pediatric at $391,060 per year (median $399,440).
What is the job outlook for ophthalmologists, except pediatric?
Employment is projected to change +4.3% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 300 openings per year.
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Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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