Ophthalmologists, except pediatric salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $100,180 | $48.16 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $300,080 | $144.27 |
| Mean (average) | $304,650 | $146.47 |
| 90th percentile | $489,710 | $235.44 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Ophthalmologists, except pediatric pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 34 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $305,200 | $173,050 | $465,770 | ||
| Arkansas | $259,320 | $124,690 | $421,600 | 30 | 0.43 |
| California | $400,150 | $99,040 | $499,330 | 820 | 0.78 |
| Colorado | $288,050 | $173,810 | $446,100 | 100 | 0.61 |
| Florida | $399,440 | $163,880 | $639,960 | 580 | 1.02 |
| Georgia | $382,920 | $148,190 | $469,730 | 120 | 0.44 |
| Illinois | $284,630 | $53,970 | $421,300 | 620 | 1.77 |
| Indiana | $168,600 | $132,880 | $489,710 | 160 | 0.86 |
| Iowa | $394,900 | $48,510 | $483,360 | 90 | 1.02 |
| Kentucky | $101,940 | $33,650 | $451,590 | 70 | 0.62 |
| Louisiana | $155,250 | $118,980 | $230,730 | 30 | 0.31 |
| Maine | $337,850 | $162,230 | $447,130 | 90 | 2.48 |
| Maryland | $211,770 | $100,180 | $360,960 | 260 | 1.65 |
| Massachusetts | $325,200 | $115,240 | $420,470 | 450 | 2.14 |
| Michigan | $179,720 | $80,730 | $469,050 | 150 | 0.61 |
| Minnesota | $372,200 | $143,260 | $488,550 | 180 | 1.04 |
| Missouri | $228,410 | $215,990 | $622,380 | ||
| Nevada | $345,600 | $84,990 | $476,390 | ||
| New Hampshire | $404,330 | $74,360 | $437,240 | 50 | 1.27 |
| New York | $360,050 | $93,820 | $478,760 | 960 | 1.73 |
| Ohio | $271,270 | $168,550 | $545,790 | 150 | 0.46 |
| Oklahoma | $215,760 | $215,760 | $215,760 | ||
| Oregon | $334,450 | $172,330 | $478,800 | 210 | 1.88 |
| Pennsylvania | $304,290 | $91,460 | $457,660 | 310 | 0.87 |
| Rhode Island | $450,370 | $122,660 | $459,080 | 180 | 6.18 |
| South Carolina | $214,160 | $173,810 | $421,530 | 100 | 0.75 |
| South Dakota | $211,990 | $208,110 | $215,770 | 130 | 5.03 |
| Tennessee | $231,040 | $122,550 | $570,020 | 230 | 1.23 |
| Texas | $323,010 | $90,370 | $487,890 | ||
| Utah | $188,490 | $59,240 | $480,640 | 30 | 0.35 |
| Vermont | $258,910 | $166,850 | $344,880 | 30 | 1.83 |
| Virginia | $177,410 | $142,730 | $539,110 | ||
| Washington | $304,830 | $84,480 | $509,040 | 180 | 0.87 |
| Wisconsin | $213,890 | $100,670 | $440,140 | 250 | 1.47 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for ophthalmologists, except pediatric
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 200. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 5.7%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for ophthalmologists, except pediatric
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Medicine CIP 51.1201
- Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy CIP 51.1202
- Ophthalmology Residency Program CIP 61.1401
- Ophthalmology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other CIP 61.1499
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Perform comprehensive examinations of the visual system to determine the nature or extent of ocular disorders.
- Diagnose or treat injuries, disorders, or diseases of the eye and eye structures including the cornea, sclera, conjunctiva, or eyelids.
- Provide or direct the provision of postoperative care.
- Develop or implement plans and procedures for ophthalmologic services.
- Prescribe or administer topical or systemic medications to treat ophthalmic conditions and to manage pain.
- Develop treatment plans based on patients' histories and goals, the nature and severity of disorders, and treatment risks and benefits.
- Perform ophthalmic surgeries such as cataract, glaucoma, refractive, corneal, vitro-retinal, eye muscle, or oculoplastic surgeries.
- Educate patients about maintenance and promotion of healthy vision.
Technology skills
- Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Allscripts PM
- Automatic Data Processing AdvancedMD EHR
- Benchmark Systems Benchmark Clinical EHR
- Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR
- CareCloud Central
- Cerner PowerWorks Practice Management
- Email software
- Epic Practice Management
- EyeMD EMR Healthcare Systems EyeMD EMR
- GE Healthcare Centricity Practice Solution
- GalacTek ECLIPSE
- Greenway Medical Technologies PrimeSUITE
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Service Orientation, Time Management, Coordination.
Common job titles: Clinical Ophthalmologist, Cornea Specialist, Glaucoma Specialist, Oculoplastic Specialist, Ophthalmic Surgeon, Ophthalmologist, Ophthalmologist Specialist, Physician, Retina Specialist, Surgical Ophthalmologist.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do ophthalmologists, except pediatric make?
The national median annual wage for ophthalmologists, except pediatric was $300,080 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $100,180 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $489,710. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do ophthalmologists, except pediatric need?
BLS lists doctoral or professional degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and internship/residency on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is ophthalmologists, except pediatric a growing career?
BLS projects employment of ophthalmologists, except pediatric to change +4.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 200 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay ophthalmologists, except pediatric the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Rhode Island ($450,370), New Hampshire ($404,330), California ($400,150). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.