Optometrist salary
What optometrists earn across the U.S., in every state and in the top-paying metro areas.
Median pay$136,570$65.66 per hour
Average pay$141,550$68.05 per hour
Middle half earn$109,400 – $165,120Top 10%: $202,180+
Jobs42,790Employed nationwide
Optometrist salary by state
Click a column to sort. Select a state for its cities.
| State | Median | Hourly | Jobs | Per 1,000 jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $145,090 | $69.75 | 460 | 0.22 |
| Alaska | $170,310 | $81.88 | 60 | 0.18 |
| Arizona | $122,250 | $58.78 | 1,080 | 0.33 |
| Arkansas | $124,470 | $59.84 | 320 | 0.25 |
| California | $136,300 | $65.53 | 6,890 | 0.38 |
| Colorado | $152,000 | $73.08 | 880 | 0.31 |
| Connecticut | $150,340 | $72.28 | 490 | 0.29 |
| Delaware | $161,270 | $77.54 | 190 | 0.38 |
| Florida | $151,670 | $72.92 | 2,350 | 0.24 |
| Georgia | $128,830 | $61.94 | 870 | 0.18 |
| Hawaii | $154,620 | $74.34 | 230 | 0.36 |
| Idaho | $103,390 | $49.71 | 160 | 0.19 |
| Illinois | $145,620 | $70.01 | 1,540 | 0.25 |
| Indiana | $135,500 | $65.14 | 1,040 | 0.32 |
| Iowa | $125,380 | $60.28 | 450 | 0.29 |
| Kansas | $138,580 | $66.63 | 660 | 0.46 |
| Kentucky | $128,860 | $61.95 | 430 | 0.22 |
| Louisiana | $118,060 | $56.76 | 250 | 0.13 |
| Maine | $154,110 | $74.09 | 180 | 0.28 |
| Maryland | $165,840 | $79.73 | 780 | 0.28 |
| Massachusetts | $151,730 | $72.95 | 950 | 0.26 |
| Michigan | $135,650 | $65.21 | 1,410 | 0.32 |
| Minnesota | $158,700 | $76.30 | 710 | 0.24 |
| Mississippi | $108,070 | $51.96 | 240 | 0.2 |
| Missouri | $133,810 | $64.33 | 630 | 0.22 |
| Montana | $104,280 | $50.14 | 140 | 0.28 |
| Nebraska | $125,040 | $60.12 | 340 | 0.33 |
| Nevada | $135,650 | $65.22 | 430 | 0.28 |
| New Hampshire | $125,560 | $60.36 | 210 | 0.31 |
| New Jersey | $159,040 | $76.46 | 1,380 | 0.32 |
| New Mexico | $144,660 | $69.55 | 130 | 0.15 |
| New York | $161,140 | $77.47 | 2,390 | 0.25 |
| North Carolina | $161,560 | $77.67 | 1,140 | 0.23 |
| North Dakota | $132,110 | $63.51 | 140 | 0.33 |
| Ohio | $134,850 | $64.83 | 1,300 | 0.24 |
| Oklahoma | $97,350 | $46.80 | 570 | 0.33 |
| Oregon | $132,020 | $63.47 | 560 | 0.29 |
| Pennsylvania | $135,400 | $65.10 | 1,720 | 0.28 |
| Rhode Island | $134,520 | $64.67 | 250 | 0.5 |
| South Carolina | $145,950 | $70.17 | 480 | 0.21 |
| South Dakota | $102,320 | $49.19 | 190 | 0.41 |
| Tennessee | $134,170 | $64.51 | 660 | 0.2 |
| Texas | $126,000 | $60.58 | 4,110 | 0.29 |
| Utah | $119,070 | $57.25 | 380 | 0.22 |
| Vermont | $137,290 | $66.01 | 90 | 0.31 |
| Virginia | $131,570 | $63.25 | 1,110 | 0.27 |
| Washington | $157,560 | $75.75 | 760 | 0.22 |
| West Virginia | $118,010 | $56.74 | 150 | 0.22 |
| Wisconsin | $139,720 | $67.17 | 790 | 0.27 |
| Wyoming | $111,400 | $53.56 | 90 | 0.33 |
Top-paying metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $167,810 | 420 |
| Peoria, IL | $166,600 | 50 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $165,810 | 70 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $165,640 | 160 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $165,360 | 80 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $164,020 | 130 |
| Wilmington, NC | $163,800 | 120 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $163,290 | 240 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $163,240 | 80 |
| Birmingham, AL | $162,890 | 110 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $162,690 | 80 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $162,540 | 70 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $161,850 | 90 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $161,560 | 150 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $161,540 | 80 |
Metro areas with the most optometrists
| Metro area | Jobs | Median |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 2,580 | $161,030 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,360 | $138,940 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,250 | $124,640 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,180 | $142,580 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,160 | $145,630 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 890 | $153,980 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 870 | $140,790 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 860 | $115,960 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 820 | $125,530 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 770 | $154,690 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 730 | $111,780 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 710 | $154,970 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 610 | $142,690 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 580 | $135,330 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 540 | $133,280 |
Related jobs
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Questions
How much does an optometrist make?
The median pay for optometrists in the U.S. was $136,570 a year ($65.66 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $109,400 and $165,120.
Which states pay optometrists the most?
The highest pay was in Alaska ($170,310), Maryland ($165,840), North Carolina ($161,560), Delaware ($161,270), New York ($161,140). The lowest was in Oklahoma ($97,350), South Dakota ($102,320), Idaho ($103,390).
How many optometrists are there in the U.S.?
About 42,790 people were employed as optometrists in May 2025.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries. Metro areas with fewer than 50 jobs in this occupation are left out. All healthcare salaries.