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How Much Does an Optometrist Make?
An optometrist in the US earns a median salary of $136,570 a year, or $65.66 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $141,550, and the middle half earn between $109,400 and $165,120.
Optometrist pay range
What optometrists earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.
| Percentile | A year | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest 10%) | $74,870 | $35.99 | |
| 25th | $109,400 | $52.59 | |
| Median (50th) | $136,570 | $65.66 | |
| 75th | $165,120 | $79.39 | |
| 90th (top 10%) | $202,180 | $97.20 |
The median is 168% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 42,790 people work as optometrists in the US.
After tax and by period
- A week
- $2,626
- Every two weeks
- $5,253
- Twice a month
- $5,690
- A month
- $11,381
At the median salary, before tax.
Optometrist salary by state
Sorted by average pay. Alaska pays optometrists the most, at $165,120 a year on average.
| State | Average | Median | Jobs | After tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $165,120 | $170,310 | 60 | After tax |
| New Jersey | $161,110 | $159,040 | 1,380 | After tax |
| North Carolina | $161,030 | $161,560 | 1,140 | After tax |
| Maine | $160,730 | $154,110 | 180 | After tax |
| Washington | $159,380 | $157,560 | 760 | After tax |
| Virginia | $155,530 | $131,570 | 1,110 | After tax |
| New Mexico | $153,180 | $144,660 | 130 | After tax |
| New York | $153,130 | $161,140 | 2,390 | After tax |
| Massachusetts | $152,550 | $151,730 | 950 | After tax |
| Colorado | $152,460 | $152,000 | 880 | After tax |
| Minnesota | $151,450 | $158,700 | 710 | After tax |
| Hawaii | $149,920 | $154,620 | 230 | After tax |
| Maryland | $148,910 | $165,840 | 780 | After tax |
| Puerto Rico | $148,910 | $132,790 | 280 | |
| Connecticut | $147,820 | $150,340 | 490 | After tax |
| California | $147,420 | $136,300 | 6,890 | After tax |
| New Hampshire | $146,430 | $125,560 | 210 | After tax |
| Vermont | $146,240 | $137,290 | 90 | After tax |
| Rhode Island | $145,800 | $134,520 | 250 | After tax |
| District of Columbia | $145,590 | $134,840 | 50 | After tax |
| Michigan | $144,610 | $135,650 | 1,410 | After tax |
| Illinois | $143,720 | $145,620 | 1,540 | After tax |
| Florida | $143,020 | $151,670 | 2,350 | After tax |
| Delaware | $142,820 | $161,270 | 190 | After tax |
| Wisconsin | $142,800 | $139,720 | 790 | After tax |
| Kentucky | $142,710 | $128,860 | 430 | After tax |
| Kansas | $140,510 | $138,580 | 660 | After tax |
| Pennsylvania | $139,660 | $135,400 | 1,720 | After tax |
| Alabama | $137,460 | $145,090 | 460 | After tax |
| Indiana | $137,020 | $135,500 | 1,040 | After tax |
| Nevada | $137,020 | $135,650 | 430 | After tax |
| Arizona | $135,280 | $122,250 | 1,080 | After tax |
| Ohio | $133,960 | $134,850 | 1,300 | After tax |
| Missouri | $133,680 | $133,810 | 630 | After tax |
| Nebraska | $132,660 | $125,040 | 340 | After tax |
| North Dakota | $132,080 | $132,110 | 140 | After tax |
| West Virginia | $130,750 | $118,010 | 150 | After tax |
| South Carolina | $129,570 | $145,950 | 480 | After tax |
| Georgia | $128,630 | $128,830 | 870 | After tax |
| Utah | $128,180 | $119,070 | 380 | After tax |
| Oregon | $127,920 | $132,020 | 560 | After tax |
| Mississippi | $126,580 | $108,070 | 240 | After tax |
| Arkansas | $125,460 | $124,470 | 320 | After tax |
| Texas | $124,760 | $126,000 | 4,110 | After tax |
| Iowa | $123,250 | $125,380 | 450 | After tax |
| Louisiana | $121,000 | $118,060 | 250 | After tax |
| Tennessee | $120,920 | $134,170 | 660 | After tax |
| South Dakota | $118,060 | $102,320 | 190 | After tax |
| Wyoming | $115,500 | $111,400 | 90 | After tax |
| Oklahoma | $114,710 | $97,350 | 570 | After tax |
| Idaho | $113,870 | $103,390 | 160 | After tax |
| Montana | $106,200 | $104,280 | 140 | After tax |
A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.
Other healthcare practitioners jobs
- Registered nurse $97,550 median
- Licensed practical nurse $64,400 median
- Pharmacy technician $45,750 median
- Clinical laboratory technologist and technician $62,930 median
- Nurse practitioner $132,300 median
- Pharmacist $140,910 median
- Physical therapist $102,760 median
- Radiologic technologist $80,110 median
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Optometrists” (SOC 29-1041). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries
About the Job Salaries
Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.
How to use it
- 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
- 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
- 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
- 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an optometrist make an hour?
The median hourly wage for an optometrist is $65.66, and the average is $68.05. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $35.99 an hour and the top 10% over $97.20.
How much does an optometrist make a month?
At the median salary of $136,570, an optometrist earns about $11,381 a month before tax, or $5,253 every two weeks.
Which state pays optometrists the most?
Alaska has the highest average pay for an optometrist, at $165,120 a year. Next are New Jersey and North Carolina. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.
What is the starting salary for an optometrist?
The lowest-paid 10% of optometrists earn less than $74,870 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $109,400. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.
How much do the highest-paid optometrists make?
The top 10% earn more than $202,180 a year, and the top 25% more than $165,120.
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