Optometrists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $74,870 | $35.99 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $136,570 | $65.66 |
| Mean (average) | $141,550 | $68.05 |
| 90th percentile | $202,180 | $97.20 |
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
Optometrists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $145,090 | $56,740 | $196,600 | 460 | 0.78 |
| Alaska | $170,310 | $98,530 | $218,180 | 60 | 0.67 |
| Arizona | $122,250 | $99,570 | $171,490 | 1,080 | 1.21 |
| Arkansas | $124,470 | $57,960 | $181,520 | 320 | 0.9 |
| California | $136,300 | $99,890 | $213,710 | 6,890 | 1.37 |
| Colorado | $152,000 | $65,910 | $212,120 | 880 | 1.12 |
| Connecticut | $150,340 | $99,200 | $214,040 | 490 | 1.06 |
| Delaware | $161,270 | $77,980 | $188,490 | 190 | 1.39 |
| District of Columbia | $134,840 | $102,570 | $207,570 | 50 | 0.26 |
| Florida | $151,670 | $62,490 | $196,210 | 2,350 | 0.86 |
| Georgia | $128,830 | $51,030 | $189,610 | 870 | 0.65 |
| Hawaii | $154,620 | $107,090 | $205,390 | 230 | 1.32 |
| Idaho | $103,390 | $52,000 | $189,570 | 160 | 0.68 |
| Illinois | $145,620 | $93,350 | $190,620 | 1,540 | 0.92 |
| Indiana | $135,500 | $76,860 | $193,270 | 1,040 | 1.18 |
| Iowa | $125,380 | $73,660 | $175,460 | 450 | 1.05 |
| Kansas | $138,580 | $85,010 | $192,720 | 660 | 1.66 |
| Kentucky | $128,860 | $82,240 | $254,630 | 430 | 0.79 |
| Louisiana | $118,060 | $45,420 | $183,670 | 250 | 0.47 |
| Maine | $154,110 | $102,600 | $241,200 | 180 | 1.02 |
| Maryland | $165,840 | $50,560 | $215,420 | 780 | 1.02 |
| Massachusetts | $151,730 | $95,780 | $196,470 | 950 | 0.95 |
| Michigan | $135,650 | $98,110 | $213,850 | 1,410 | 1.16 |
| Minnesota | $158,700 | $96,670 | $206,960 | 710 | 0.88 |
| Mississippi | $108,070 | $63,470 | $215,640 | 240 | 0.74 |
| Missouri | $133,810 | $64,610 | $175,270 | 630 | 0.78 |
| Montana | $104,280 | $58,450 | $163,030 | 140 | 1.02 |
| Nebraska | $125,040 | $65,170 | $205,450 | 340 | 1.2 |
| Nevada | $135,650 | $74,530 | $181,520 | 430 | 1 |
| New Hampshire | $125,560 | $76,360 | $205,560 | 210 | 1.12 |
| New Jersey | $159,040 | $104,730 | $232,960 | 1,380 | 1.17 |
| New Mexico | $144,660 | $88,160 | $202,980 | 130 | 0.53 |
| New York | $161,140 | $95,460 | $203,040 | 2,390 | 0.9 |
| North Carolina | $161,560 | $94,320 | $215,340 | 1,140 | 0.84 |
| North Dakota | $132,110 | $74,610 | $178,900 | 140 | 1.18 |
| Ohio | $134,850 | $63,650 | $190,630 | 1,300 | 0.85 |
| Oklahoma | $97,350 | $59,990 | $174,620 | 570 | 1.21 |
| Oregon | $132,020 | $83,830 | $161,480 | 560 | 1.04 |
| Pennsylvania | $135,400 | $92,970 | $173,380 | 1,720 | 1.03 |
| Puerto Rico | $132,790 | $44,190 | $300,250 | 280 | 1.08 |
| Rhode Island | $134,520 | $71,670 | $215,640 | 250 | 1.82 |
| South Carolina | $145,950 | $51,740 | $172,060 | 480 | 0.76 |
| South Dakota | $102,320 | $90,560 | $174,920 | 190 | 1.5 |
| Tennessee | $134,170 | $47,630 | $167,420 | 660 | 0.73 |
| Texas | $126,000 | $54,180 | $164,420 | 4,110 | 1.06 |
| Utah | $119,070 | $44,470 | $172,480 | 380 | 0.79 |
| Vermont | $137,290 | $60,290 | $194,190 | 90 | 1.12 |
| Virginia | $131,570 | $62,430 | $235,980 | 1,110 | 0.98 |
| Washington | $157,560 | $103,880 | $217,900 | 760 | 0.78 |
| West Virginia | $118,010 | $69,830 | $198,570 | 150 | 0.8 |
| Wisconsin | $139,720 | $75,390 | $203,670 | 790 | 0.97 |
| Wyoming | $111,400 | $51,580 | $178,860 | 90 | 1.19 |
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 optometrists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 2,000. 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%.
- 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 optometrists
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- 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
- Optometry CIP 51.1701
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Examine eyes, using observation, instruments, and pharmaceutical agents, to determine visual acuity and perception, focus, and coordination and to diagnose diseases and other abnormalities, such as glaucoma or color blindness.
- Analyze test results and develop a treatment plan.
- Prescribe, supply, fit and adjust eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other vision aids.
- Prescribe medications to treat eye diseases if state laws permit.
- Educate and counsel patients on contact lens care, visual hygiene, lighting arrangements, and safety factors.
- Remove foreign bodies from the eye.
- Provide patients undergoing eye surgeries, such as cataract and laser vision correction, with pre- and post-operative care.
- Consult with and refer patients to ophthalmologist or other health care practitioner if additional medical treatment is determined necessary.
Technology skills
- Apple Safari (in demand)
- Microsoft Edge (in demand)
- Mozilla Firefox (in demand)
- Web browser software (in demand)
- Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft SQL Server (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Accra Med Software Filopto
- AltaPoint Data Systems AltaPoint Vision
- Babcock Winx Pro
- Compulink Business Systems Eyecare Advantage
- Digital Healthcare OptoMize
- First Insight E-Z Frame
- First Insight MaximEyes
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Persuasion, Instructing.
Common job titles: Optometrist, Optometry Doctor (OD), Therapeutic Optometrist.
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 optometrists make?
The national median annual wage for optometrists was $136,570 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $74,870 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $202,180. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do optometrists need?
BLS lists doctoral or professional degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is optometrists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of optometrists to change +9.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 2,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay optometrists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Alaska ($170,310), Maryland ($165,840), North Carolina ($161,560). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.