SOC 29-1041 · May 2025
Optometrist Salary
Optometrists in the US earn a median of $136,570 a year ($68.05 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Optometrist pay climbed from $122,980 in 2019 to $141,550 in 2025, a +15.1% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$136,570
Half of all Optometrists in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+15.1% since 2019 · +0.4% YoY
Hourly
$68.05
Job growth 2025-35
+9.5%
US workers
42,790
BLS series
Annual median wage for Optometrists in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Optometrists is $74,870 – $202,180.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$74,870
25th
$109,400
Median
$136,570
75th
$165,120
90th
$202,180
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Optometrists. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $74,870 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $109,400 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $136,570 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $165,120 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $202,180 |
Geography
Optometrist pay by state
Optometrists earn the most in Alaska ($170,310, +25% against the national median) and the least in Oklahoma ($97,350). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 51 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$136,570
Highest-paying states for optometrists
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $170,310 | +25% | 60 |
| Maryland | $165,840 | +21% | 780 |
| North Carolina | $161,560 | +18% | 1,140 |
| Delaware | $161,270 | +18% | 190 |
| New York | $161,140 | +18% | 2,390 |
| New Jersey | $159,040 | +16% | 1,380 |
| Minnesota | $158,700 | +16% | 710 |
| Washington | $157,560 | +15% | 760 |
| Hawaii | $154,620 | +13% | 230 |
| Maine | $154,110 | +13% | 180 |
All 51 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $170,310 | 60 |
| Maryland | $165,840 | 780 |
| North Carolina | $161,560 | 1,140 |
| Delaware | $161,270 | 190 |
| New York | $161,140 | 2,390 |
| New Jersey | $159,040 | 1,380 |
| Minnesota | $158,700 | 710 |
| Washington | $157,560 | 760 |
| Hawaii | $154,620 | 230 |
| Maine | $154,110 | 180 |
| Colorado | $152,000 | 880 |
| Massachusetts | $151,730 | 950 |
| Florida | $151,670 | 2,350 |
| Connecticut | $150,340 | 490 |
| South Carolina | $145,950 | 480 |
| Illinois | $145,620 | 1,540 |
| Alabama | $145,090 | 460 |
| New Mexico | $144,660 | 130 |
| Wisconsin | $139,720 | 790 |
| Kansas | $138,580 | 660 |
| Vermont | $137,290 | 90 |
| California | $136,300 | 6,890 |
| Michigan | $135,650 | 1,410 |
| Nevada | $135,650 | 430 |
| Indiana | $135,500 | 1,040 |
| Pennsylvania | $135,400 | 1,720 |
| Ohio | $134,850 | 1,300 |
| D.C. | $134,840 | 50 |
| Rhode Island | $134,520 | 250 |
| Tennessee | $134,170 | 660 |
| Missouri | $133,810 | 630 |
| North Dakota | $132,110 | 140 |
| Oregon | $132,020 | 560 |
| Virginia | $131,570 | 1,110 |
| Kentucky | $128,860 | 430 |
| Georgia | $128,830 | 870 |
| Texas | $126,000 | 4,110 |
| New Hampshire | $125,560 | 210 |
| Iowa | $125,380 | 450 |
| Nebraska | $125,040 | 340 |
| Arkansas | $124,470 | 320 |
| Arizona | $122,250 | 1,080 |
| Utah | $119,070 | 380 |
| Louisiana | $118,060 | 250 |
| West Virginia | $118,010 | 150 |
| Wyoming | $111,400 | 90 |
| Mississippi | $108,070 | 240 |
| Montana | $104,280 | 140 |
| Idaho | $103,390 | 160 |
| South Dakota | $102,320 | 190 |
| Oklahoma | $97,350 | 570 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Optometrists
Optometrists (BLS SOC 29-1041) examine the eyes and visual systems for problems, prescribe corrective lenses, and provide treatment for eye diseases. The role requires a Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree plus state licensure. Pay varies sharply by setting: corporate retail-chain optometry typically pays below independent-practice optometry. Practice ownership substantially affects total earnings beyond OEWS figures.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $74,870 – $202,180. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are Alaska, Maryland and North Carolina. Pay in Alaska runs 1.7 times the level in Oklahoma, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as doctoral or professional degree, and projects about 2,000 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 9.5% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Optometrist salary in the US?
How much does a Optometrist make an hour?
How much do Optometrists make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Optometrists the most?
Is the average Optometrist salary higher than the median?
Is Optometrist a growing career?
Open positions
Open Optometrist roles hiring now
Browse current Optometrist listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 29-1041. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.