facebook tracking Optometrist salary in Kentucky (2025): how much optometrists make, by city

How much do optometrists make in Kentucky?

What optometrists earn in Kentucky and its metro areas, compared with the rest of the country (May 2025 BLS data).

May 2025#34 of 50 states
Switch state
See also Optometrist pay nationally All healthcare pay in Kentucky
Median pay in Kentucky
$128,860

a year, or $61.95 an hour. That is 6% less than the national median of $136,570.

The middle half of optometrists in Kentucky earn $97,290 to $168,030.

Pay range in Kentucky
Bottom 10% earn under
$82,240
25th percentile
$97,290
Median
$128,860
75th percentile
$168,030
Top 10% earn over
$254,630
Rank among states
#34 of 50

Kentucky pays optometrists more than 16 of the other 49 states. Highest: Alaska ($170,310).

Jobs in Kentucky
430

0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the state, 0.79× the U.S. concentration.

Optometrist pay in Kentucky cities

Metro and rural (nonmetropolitan) areas as BLS defines them, including metro areas that cross into neighboring states.. Click a column to sort.

AreaPay a yearHourlyJobs
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $156,990 $75.48 300
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $135,720 $65.25 230
Lexington-Fayette, KY $139,060 $66.85 40
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $114,110 $54.86 40
Clarksville, TN-KY $132,200 $63.56 30
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $103,670 $49.84 30
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $103,530 $49.77 30
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $114,110 $54.86 30
Advertisement

States with similar optometrist pay

North Dakota $132,110 median a year · +3% vs Kentucky Oregon $132,020 median a year · +2% vs Kentucky Virginia $131,570 median a year · +2% vs Kentucky Georgia $128,830 median a year Texas $126,000 median a year · −2% vs Kentucky New Hampshire $125,560 median a year · −3% vs Kentucky

Other healthcare salaries in Kentucky

Registered Nurses $81,040 median a year · 50,300 jobs Home Health and Personal Care Aides $36,440 median a year · 31,260 jobs Nursing Assistants $38,370 median a year · 23,410 jobs Medical Assistants $39,270 median a year · 13,440 jobs Pharmacy Technicians $39,200 median a year · 8,870 jobs Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $60,460 median a year · 8,570 jobs Pharmacists $136,530 median a year · 5,030 jobs Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians $60,880 median a year · 4,860 jobs Nurse Practitioners $122,870 median a year · 4,770 jobs Dental Assistants $47,730 median a year · 4,530 jobs Medical Records Specialists $48,410 median a year · 4,210 jobs Radiologic Technologists and Technicians $69,670 median a year · 3,630 jobs
All healthcare salaries in Kentucky

Questions about optometrist pay in Kentucky

How much does an optometrist make in Kentucky?

Optometrists in Kentucky earned a median of $128,860 a year ($61.95 an hour) in May 2025, 6% less than the national median of $136,570. The middle half earned $97,290 to $168,030.

Where in Kentucky do optometrists earn the most?

Among areas in Kentucky, pay was highest in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN at $156,990.

How does Kentucky rank for optometrist pay?

Kentucky ranks #34 of 50 states for optometrists pay. Alaska pays the most, at $170,310 a year. Pay figures don't account for differences in cost of living.

How many optometrists work in Kentucky?

About 430 people worked as optometrists in Kentucky in May 2025, or 0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the state.

Kentucky hospitals Kentucky hospital star ratings Kentucky hospital finances Kentucky shortage areas Hospitals per capita All healthcare salaries

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries. Median pay is the middle wage; where BLS publishes no median, the average (mean) is shown, marked "(avg)". Values marked "+" are above the most BLS reports exactly. Pay doesn't reflect cost of living, overtime or shift differentials.