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Ophthalmologist salary
Average ophthalmologist salary
$234,030
Understanding the Ophthalmologist Salary
The average salary for an ophthalmologist stands at $234,030 annually, translating to approximately $113 per hour. These figures reflect not only the financial rewards of the profession but also the extensive training and expertise required. Factors influencing salary include geographic location, years of experience, and subspecialty focus.
Regional Salary Variances
Ophthalmologists practicing in states like California and New York often earn higher salaries compared to those in less populated regions. For example, the highest-paying states for ophthalmologists offer annual salaries exceeding $300,000. This discrepancy highlights the importance of location when considering career opportunities.
Impact of Experience
Experience also plays a crucial role in determining salary. Entry-level ophthalmologists may earn closer to $180,000, while those with significant experience can command salaries well above the average. Additionally, subspecialties such as retina surgery or pediatric ophthalmology tend to offer higher compensation due to increased demand for specialized skills.
Job Opportunities
As healthcare continues to evolve, the demand for ophthalmologists remains strong. With various job openings across hospitals, private practices, and research institutions, there are numerous pathways for career advancement. Zippia provides resources to explore potential job listings, enabling you to find the right fit for your skills and aspirations.
Let Zippi find your next ophthalmologist job
Let Zippi find your next ophthalmologist job
Where can an Ophthalmologist earn more?
Ophthalmologist salary estimates from across the web
Average ophthalmologist salary by state
The highest-paying states for ophthalmologists are Alaska, North Dakota, and Minnesota. The lowest average ophthalmologist salary states are Maine, Florida, and New Mexico.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for ophthalmologists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $192,126 | $92.37 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $196,146 | $94.30 |
| 3 | Nebraska | $189,693 | $91.20 |
| 4 | Alaska | $208,993 | $100.48 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $190,121 | $91.40 |
| 6 | Kentucky | $193,474 | $93.02 |
| 7 | South Dakota | $191,095 | $91.87 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $201,062 | $96.66 |
| 9 | Montana | $195,102 | $93.80 |
| 10 | Iowa | $181,425 | $87.22 |
| 11 | Colorado | $192,105 | $92.36 |
| 12 | Missouri | $193,728 | $93.14 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $177,867 | $85.51 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $181,131 | $87.08 |
| 15 | Indiana | $178,326 | $85.73 |
| 16 | Utah | $182,462 | $87.72 |
| 17 | Ohio | $181,189 | $87.11 |
| 18 | Alabama | $177,930 | $85.54 |
| 19 | Idaho | $181,915 | $87.46 |
| 20 | Oregon | $179,116 | $86.11 |
| 21 | Washington | $188,162 | $90.46 |
| 22 | Vermont | $173,282 | $83.31 |
| 23 | Georgia | $178,994 | $86.05 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $174,883 | $84.08 |
| 25 | New York | $177,260 | $85.22 |
| 26 | Kansas | $174,681 | $83.98 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $178,689 | $85.91 |
| 28 | Illinois | $179,823 | $86.45 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $175,003 | $84.14 |
| 30 | Mississippi | $176,570 | $84.89 |
| 31 | Maryland | $176,633 | $84.92 |
| 32 | Michigan | $176,077 | $84.65 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $173,905 | $83.61 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $168,686 | $81.10 |
| 35 | Massachusetts | $174,333 | $83.81 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $169,845 | $81.66 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $170,664 | $82.05 |
| 38 | Maine | $165,885 | $79.75 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $160,101 | $76.97 |
| 40 | Delaware | $176,228 | $84.72 |
| 41 | Rhode Island | $174,480 | $83.88 |
| 42 | Virginia | $170,633 | $82.04 |
| 43 | Arizona | $157,957 | $75.94 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | $176,608 | $84.91 |
| 45 | Florida | $161,702 | $77.74 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $167,934 | $80.74 |
| 47 | California | $167,673 | $80.61 |
| 48 | New Jersey | $169,392 | $81.44 |
| 49 | Nevada | $166,982 | $80.28 |
| 50 | Texas | $158,511 | $76.21 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $123,943 | $59.59 |
Highest paying cities for ophthalmologists
The highest-paying cities for ophthalmologists are Anchorage, AK, Williston, ND, and Minneapolis, MN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anchorage, AK | $315,367 | $151.62 |
| 2 | Williston, ND | $282,965 | $136.04 |
| 3 | Minneapolis, MN | $254,222 | $122.22 |
| 4 | Kansas City, MO | $246,393 | $118.46 |
| 5 | Huntington, WV | $235,341 | $113.14 |
| 6 | Eau Claire, WI | $217,285 | $104.46 |
| 7 | Pittsburgh, PA | $214,325 | $103.04 |
| 8 | Davenport, IA | $213,383 | $102.59 |
| 9 | Rock Island, IL | $213,341 | $102.57 |
| 10 | Cheektowaga, NY | $210,604 | $101.25 |
| 11 | Cleveland, OH | $209,739 | $100.84 |
| 12 | Gainesville, GA | $207,142 | $99.59 |
| 13 | Kansas City, KS | $204,544 | $98.34 |
| 14 | Troy, MI | $201,040 | $96.65 |
| 15 | Gaithersburg, MD | $200,414 | $96.35 |
| 16 | Washington, DC | $199,953 | $96.13 |
| 17 | Jackson, MS | $199,676 | $96.00 |
| 18 | Boston, MA | $198,574 | $95.47 |
| 19 | New Haven, CT | $198,260 | $95.32 |
| 20 | Charleston, SC | $194,841 | $93.67 |
Ophthalmologist salary details
An ophthalmologist's salary ranges from $129,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $423,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an ophthalmologist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $423,000 | $35,250 | $203 |
| 75th Percentile | $319,000 | $26,583 | $153 |
| Average | $234,030 | $19,503 | $113 |
| 25th Percentile | $171,000 | $14,250 | $82 |
| 10th Percentile | $129,000 | $10,750 | $62 |
Highest paying ophthalmologist jobs
The highest paying types of ophthalmologists are md ophthalmologist, neuro-ophthalmologist, and pediatric ophthalmologist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $187,654 | $15,638 | $90.22 | 20,993 |
Top companies hiring ophthalmologists now:
Which companies pay ophthalmologists the most?
Ophthalmologist salaries at Mayo Clinic and Trinity Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average ophthalmologist salary at companies like Hennepin Healthcare and Washington Permanente Medical Group are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayo Clinic | $342,486 | $164.66 |
| 2 | Trinity Health | $289,690 | $139.27 |
| 3 | Hennepin Healthcare | $287,496 | $138.22 |
| 4 | Washington Permanente Medical Group | $281,531 | $135.35 |
| 5 | Rochester Regional Health | $273,991 | $131.73 |
| 6 | Kaiser Permanente | $270,759 | $130.17 |
| 7 | HealthPartners | $266,367 | $128.06 |
| 8 | Southern California Medical Center | $262,616 | $126.26 |
| 9 | Cigna | $257,361 | $123.73 |
| 10 | Christiana Care Health Services, Inc. | $254,813 | $122.51 |
| 11 | North Country Hospital | $252,949 | $121.61 |
| 12 | Spectrum Healthcare Resources | $247,227 | $118.86 |
| 13 | Northwell Health | $247,127 | $118.81 |
| 14 | Citizens Memorial | $246,194 | $118.36 |
| 15 | University Hospitals | $232,177 | $111.62 |
| 16 | Henry Ford Health System | $228,687 | $109.95 |
| 17 | National Medical Association | $226,688 | $108.98 |
| 18 | Private Practice | $224,411 | $107.89 |
| 19 | MCR Health Inc | $224,074 | $107.73 |
| 20 | Barton Associates | $222,832 | $107.13 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Ophthalmologist salary trends
The average ophthalmologist salary has risen by $27,683 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average ophthalmologist earned $206,347 annually, but today, they earn $234,030 a year. That works out to a 1% change in pay for ophthalmologists over the last decade.
Compare ophthalmologist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average ophthalmologist salary over time
Compare ophthalmologist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Ophthalmologist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $234,000 | $112.51 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $228,000 | $109.78 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $224,000 | $107.93 | -5.2% |
| 2022 | $236,000 | $113.57 | +2.1% |
| 2021 | $231,000 | $111.17 | +4.5% |
Recently added ophthalmologist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eye To Eye Careers | Glaucoma Ophthalmologist + Potential, Ownership Option ! | Charleston, WV | 06/29/2025 | $500,000 |
| Scpmg | Ophthalmologist | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $351,375 |
| Thevetrecruiter.com | Boarded Veterinary Ophthalmologist West LOS Angeles, CA #5522 | Los Angeles, CA | 06/27/2025 | $100,000 |
| Kaiser Permanente-Southern California Permanente Medical Group | Ophthalmologist OCC Plastics Opportunity) | Los Angeles, CA | 06/17/2025 | $546,015 |
| The Eye Group | Ophthalmology Job-Tuscaloosa, AL-Medical Ophthalmologist Needed | Tuscaloosa, AL | 06/12/2025 | $300,000 |
| Eyetastic Services | Ophthalmologist | Pigeon, MI | 06/11/2025 | $490,000 |
| The Eye Group | Ophthalmology Job-Central, PA-Ophthalmologist Needed | Allenwood, PA | 06/10/2025 | $300,000 |
| The Eye Group | Ophthalmology Job-Brownsville, TX-Ophthalmologist Needed | Brownsville, TX | 06/10/2025 | $300,000 |
| The Eye Group | Ophthalmology Job-Columbus, OH Area-Ophthalmologist Needed | Columbus, OH | 06/10/2025 | $300,000 |
| The Eye Group | Ophthalmology Job-New London, CT Area-Ophthalmologist Needed | New London, CT | 06/10/2025 | $300,000 |
Ophthalmologist salary FAQs
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