Ophthalmologist demographics and statistics in the US
Ophthalmologist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates ophthalmologist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our ophthalmologist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about ophthalmologists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 7,659 ophthalmologists currently employed in the United States.
- 77.3% of all ophthalmologists are women, while 22.7% are men.
- The average ophthalmologist age is 48 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of ophthalmologists is White (62.2%), followed by Asian (18.6%), Hispanic or Latino (9.5%) and Black or African American (5.1%).
- Ophthalmologists are most in-demand in Boca Raton, FL.
- Anchorage, AK pays an annual average wage of $315,367, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women ophthalmologists earned 87% of what men earned.
- West Virginia is the best state for ophthalmologists to live.
- Ophthalmologists are 77% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Ophthalmologist demographics by:
Ophthalmologist gender statistics
77.3% of ophthalmologists are women and 22.7% of ophthalmologists are men.
- Female, 77.3%
- Male, 22.7%
Ophthalmologist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 77.3% |
| Male | 22.7% |
Ophthalmologist gender pay gap
Women earn 87¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$242,346
Female income
$211,957
Ophthalmologist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in ophthalmologist positions over time. Currently, 77.3% of ophthalmologists are female.
Ophthalmologist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 28.17% | 71.83% |
| 2011 | 26.95% | 73.05% |
| 2012 | 27.64% | 72.36% |
| 2013 | 26.40% | 73.60% |
| 2014 | 25.71% | 74.29% |
| 2015 | 25.89% | 74.11% |
| 2016 | 25.27% | 74.73% |
| 2017 | 23.79% | 76.21% |
| 2018 | 23.53% | 76.47% |
| 2019 | 23.63% | 76.37% |
| 2020 | 22.50% | 77.50% |
| 2021 | 22.74% | 77.26% |
Ophthalmologist related jobs gender ratio
We compared ophthalmologists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, flight surgeon and optometrist, owner have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Nurse Midwife | 2% | 98% |
| Perinatal Nurse | 3% | 97% |
| Therapeutic Dietitian | 3% | 97% |
| Ophthalmologist | 23% | 77% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Ophthalmologist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among ophthalmologists is White, which makes up 62.2% of all ophthalmologists. Comparatively, 18.6% of ophthalmologists are Asian and 9.5% of ophthalmologists are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 62.2%
- Asian, 18.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.5%
- Black or African American, 5.1%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Ophthalmologist race
| Ophthalmologist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 62.2% |
| Asian | 18.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.5% |
| Black or African American | 5.1% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Ophthalmologist race and ethnicity over time
See how ophthalmologist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Ophthalmologist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.11% | 5.18% | 16.71% | 8.67% |
| 2011 | 67.16% | 5.25% | 16.63% | 8.52% |
| 2012 | 67.23% | 5.01% | 16.29% | 9.04% |
| 2013 | 65.31% | 5.43% | 17.50% | 9.27% |
| 2014 | 66.40% | 5.05% | 17.06% | 9.01% |
| 2015 | 66.53% | 4.91% | 17.29% | 9.07% |
| 2016 | 64.48% | 5.28% | 18.70% | 8.74% |
| 2017 | 65.10% | 5.15% | 17.86% | 9.17% |
| 2018 | 65.23% | 5.14% | 17.53% | 9.25% |
| 2019 | 65.59% | 4.72% | 18.05% | 8.89% |
| 2020 | 63.14% | 4.88% | 18.16% | 9.44% |
| 2021 | 62.15% | 5.07% | 18.63% | 9.54% |
Ophthalmologist wage gap by race
According to our data, white ophthalmologists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american ophthalmologists have the lowest average salary at $236,648.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $238,443 |
| White | $249,057 |
| Black or African American | $236,648 |
| Asian | $246,870 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $240,949 |
Average ophthalmologist age
See how the average age of ophthalmologists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Ophthalmologist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 45 | 43 |
| White | 51 | 45 |
| Black or African American | 51 | 42 |
| Asian | 46 | 45 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 51 | 44 |
Ophthalmologist age breakdown
The average age of ophthalmologists is 40+ years years old, representing 72% of the ophthalmologist population.
Ophthalmologist age breakdown
| Ophthalmologist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 72% |
| 30-40 years | 26% |
| 20-30 years | 1% |
Ophthalmologist educational attainment
The most common degree for ophthalmologists is bachelor's degree, with 30% of ophthalmologists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 18% and doctoral degree degree at 15%.
- Bachelor's, 30%
- Doctorate, 18%
- Associate, 15%
- High School Diploma, 11%
- Other Degrees, 26%
Ophthalmologists by degree level
| Ophthalmologist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 30% |
| Doctorate | 18% |
| Associate | 15% |
| High School Diploma | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 26% |
Ophthalmologist jobs you might like
Ophthalmologist employment statistics
Most ophthalmologists work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where ophthalmologists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where ophthalmologists work.
Ophthalmologist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 11% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 20% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 26% |
| > 10,000 employees | 15% |
Ophthalmologist jobs by company type
Employees with the ophthalmologist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most ophthalmologists prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Ophthalmologist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 12% |
| Public | 6% |
| Private | 77% |
| Government | 6% |
Ophthalmologist jobs by industry
The most common industries for ophthalmologists are health care, education and professional.
Ophthalmologist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 49% |
| Education | 10% |
| Professional | 10% |
| Retail | 10% |
| Non Profits | 5% |
| Government | 3% |
| Construction | 3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Media | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
Ophthalmologist turnover and employment statistics
Ophthalmologist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for ophthalmologists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Ophthalmologist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Ophthalmologist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 0.73% |
| 2011 | 0.72% |
| 2012 | 0.53% |
| 2013 | 0.68% |
| 2014 | 0.67% |
| 2015 | 0.66% |
| 2016 | 0.38% |
| 2017 | 0.38% |
| 2018 | 0.56% |
| 2019 | 0.42% |
| 2020 | 0.66% |
| 2021 | 0.69% |
Average ophthalmologist tenure
The average ophthalmologist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 718 ophthalmologists resumes in Zippia's database.
Ophthalmologist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 21% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
Ophthalmologist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of ophthalmologists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatric Urologist | 9.88% | 14,011 |
| Emergency Medicine, Physician Assistant | 11.62% | 63,558 |
| Ophthalmologist | 12.85% | - |
| Rolfer | 13.00% | 40 |
| Geriatrician | 13.05% | 2,262 |
| Optometrist, Owner | 17.57% | 51,669 |
| Senior Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 166,113 |
Similar ophthalmologist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatric Urologist | 9.88% | 14,011 |
| Emergency Medicine, Physician Assistant | 11.62% | 63,558 |
| Rolfer | 13.00% | 40 |
| Geriatrician | 13.05% | 2,262 |
| Optometrist, Owner | 17.57% | 51,669 |
| Senior Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 166,113 |
Foreign languages spoken by ophthalmologists
The most common foreign language among ophthalmologists is Spanish at 48.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Russian at 11.1% and French is the third-most popular at 6.7%.
- Spanish, 48.9%
- Russian, 11.1%
- French, 6.7%
- Arabic, 6.7%
- Ukrainian, 4.4%
- Other, 22.2%
Ophthalmologist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 48.9% |
| Russian | 11.1% |
| French | 6.7% |
| Arabic | 6.7% |
| Ukrainian | 4.4% |
| Other | 22.2% |
