Optometrists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for optometristss 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 $141,550 ≈ $68/hr
National median salary $136,570
Total employment 42,790 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +8%
Much faster than average
Annual openings 2,400 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 47,800 → 51,600 (+3,800)
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
- Alaska$165,120
- New Jersey$161,110
- North Carolina$161,030
- Maine$160,730
- Washington$159,380
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Montana$106,200
- Idaho$113,870
- Oklahoma$114,710
- Wyoming$115,500
- South Dakota$118,060
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $165,120 | $170,310 | $79 | +16.7% | 60 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $161,110 | $159,040 | $77 | +13.8% | 1,380 |
| 3 | North Carolina | $161,030 | $161,560 | $77 | +13.8% | 1,140 |
| 4 | Maine | $160,730 | $154,110 | $77 | +13.5% | 180 |
| 5 | Washington | $159,380 | $157,560 | $77 | +12.6% | 760 |
| 6 | Virginia | $155,530 | $131,570 | $75 | +9.9% | 1,110 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $153,180 | $144,660 | $74 | +8.2% | 130 |
| 8 | New York | $153,130 | $161,140 | $74 | +8.2% | 2,390 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $152,550 | $151,730 | $73 | +7.8% | 950 |
| 10 | Colorado | $152,460 | $152,000 | $73 | +7.7% | 880 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $151,450 | $158,700 | $73 | +7% | 710 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $149,920 | $154,620 | $72 | +5.9% | 230 |
| 13 | Maryland | $148,910 | $165,840 | $72 | +5.2% | 780 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $147,820 | $150,340 | $71 | +4.4% | 490 |
| 15 | California | $147,420 | $136,300 | $71 | +4.1% | 6,890 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $146,430 | $125,560 | $70 | +3.4% | 210 |
| 17 | Vermont | $146,240 | $137,290 | $70 | +3.3% | 90 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $145,800 | $134,520 | $70 | +3% | 250 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $145,590 | $134,840 | $70 | +2.9% | 50 |
| 20 | Michigan | $144,610 | $135,650 | $70 | +2.2% | 1,410 |
| 21 | Illinois | $143,720 | $145,620 | $69 | +1.5% | 1,540 |
| 22 | Florida | $143,020 | $151,670 | $69 | +1% | 2,350 |
| 23 | Delaware | $142,820 | $161,270 | $69 | +0.9% | 190 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $142,800 | $139,720 | $69 | +0.9% | 790 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $142,710 | $128,860 | $69 | +0.8% | 430 |
| 26 | Kansas | $140,510 | $138,580 | $68 | -0.7% | 660 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $139,660 | $135,400 | $67 | -1.3% | 1,720 |
| 28 | Alabama | $137,460 | $145,090 | $66 | -2.9% | 460 |
| 29 | Indiana | $137,020 | $135,500 | $66 | -3.2% | 1,040 |
| 30 | Nevada | $137,020 | $135,650 | $66 | -3.2% | 430 |
| 31 | Arizona | $135,280 | $122,250 | $65 | -4.4% | 1,080 |
| 32 | Ohio | $133,960 | $134,850 | $64 | -5.4% | 1,300 |
| 33 | Missouri | $133,680 | $133,810 | $64 | -5.6% | 630 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $132,660 | $125,040 | $64 | -6.3% | 340 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $132,080 | $132,110 | $64 | -6.7% | 140 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $130,750 | $118,010 | $63 | -7.6% | 150 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $129,570 | $145,950 | $62 | -8.5% | 480 |
| 38 | Georgia | $128,630 | $128,830 | $62 | -9.1% | 870 |
| 39 | Utah | $128,180 | $119,070 | $62 | -9.4% | 380 |
| 40 | Oregon | $127,920 | $132,020 | $62 | -9.6% | 560 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $126,580 | $108,070 | $61 | -10.6% | 240 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $125,460 | $124,470 | $60 | -11.4% | 320 |
| 43 | Texas | $124,760 | $126,000 | $60 | -11.9% | 4,110 |
| 44 | Iowa | $123,250 | $125,380 | $59 | -12.9% | 450 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $121,000 | $118,060 | $58 | -14.5% | 250 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $120,920 | $134,170 | $58 | -14.6% | 660 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $118,060 | $102,320 | $57 | -16.6% | 190 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $115,500 | $111,400 | $56 | -18.4% | 90 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $114,710 | $97,350 | $55 | -19% | 570 |
| 50 | Idaho | $113,870 | $103,390 | $55 | -19.6% | 160 |
| 51 | Montana | $106,200 | $104,280 | $51 | -25% | 140 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 242 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $175,810 | $168,910 | 40 |
| 2 | Asheville, NC | $167,980 | $162,950 | 40 |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $167,810 | $171,750 | 420 |
| 4 | Anchorage, AK | $167,000 | $158,180 | 30 |
| 5 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $166,880 | $164,510 | 40 |
| 6 | Peoria, IL | $166,600 | $155,720 | 50 |
| 7 | Albuquerque, NM | $165,810 | $160,830 | 70 |
| 8 | Dover, DE | $165,660 | $155,270 | 30 |
| 9 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $165,640 | $149,220 | 160 |
| 10 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $165,360 | $172,860 | 80 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing optometristss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Outpatient Care Centers | $207,030 | $193,050 | 1,700 |
| 2 | Hospitals, Local Government Owned | $168,030 | $168,200 | 60 |
| 3 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, Local Government Owned | $168,030 | $164,170 | 60 |
| 4 | Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | $166,560 | $146,400 | 70 |
| 5 | All Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | $166,560 | $146,400 | 70 |
| 6 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $166,410 | $152,520 | 60 |
| 7 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $166,410 | $152,520 | 60 |
| 8 | Sector 55 - Management of Companies and Enterprises | $166,410 | $152,520 | 60 |
| 9 | Administrative and Support Services | $160,100 | $142,240 | — |
| 10 | Employment Services | $160,100 | $142,240 | — |
| 11 | Sector 56 - Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $160,100 | $142,240 | — |
| 12 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $159,790 | $165,620 | 470 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do optometrists make in the U.S.?
The median optometrists salary in the United States is $136,570 per year (mean $141,550), and about 80% earn between $74,870 and $202,180.
How much do optometrists make per hour?
Roughly $68 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $141,550 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays optometrists the most?
Alaska has the highest average pay for optometrists at $165,120 per year (median $170,310).
What is the job outlook for optometrists?
Employment is projected to change +8% from 2024 to 2034 (Much faster than average), with about 2,400 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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