Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Optometrist salary
Average optometrist salary
$187,654
Average Optometrist Salary
The average salary for an optometrist in the United States is approximately $187,654 per year, translating to around $90 per hour. This figure varies depending on several factors such as location, experience, and the specific field of practice.
How Much Does an Optometrist Make?
Optometrists’ salaries can significantly differ based on geographical location. For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for eye care services. The highest-paying positions are typically found in urban centers or specialized clinics.
Where Can an Optometrist Earn More?
To maximize earnings, optometrists can consider relocating to states with the highest demand for eye care professionals. Research indicates that locations with a high concentration of healthcare facilities tend to offer competitive salaries. Additionally, gaining experience and pursuing specialization in areas like pediatric or geriatric optometry can lead to higher-paying roles.
Let Zippia find your next optometrist job
Let Zippia find your next optometrist job
Where can an Optometrist earn more?
Optometrist salary estimates from across the web
Average optometrist salary by state
The average optometrist salary in North Carolina, West Virginia, and North Dakota are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average optometrist salary states are Maine, Idaho, and Montana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for optometrists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $175,120 | $84.19 |
| 2 | Nebraska | $167,768 | $80.66 |
| 3 | North Carolina | $177,597 | $85.38 |
| 4 | Iowa | $163,803 | $78.75 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $168,546 | $81.03 |
| 6 | Vermont | $169,991 | $81.73 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $160,611 | $77.22 |
| 8 | Alaska | $163,910 | $78.80 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $171,524 | $82.46 |
| 10 | Kentucky | $160,986 | $77.40 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $175,009 | $84.14 |
| 12 | New York | $163,064 | $78.40 |
| 13 | South Carolina | $158,084 | $76.00 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $159,555 | $76.71 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $160,204 | $77.02 |
| 16 | Michigan | $161,061 | $77.43 |
| 17 | Maryland | $161,176 | $77.49 |
| 18 | Indiana | $155,795 | $74.90 |
| 19 | Alabama | $154,029 | $74.05 |
| 20 | Kansas | $154,472 | $74.27 |
| 21 | Delaware | $161,070 | $77.44 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $159,236 | $76.56 |
| 23 | Illinois | $160,735 | $77.28 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $161,374 | $77.58 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $147,339 | $70.84 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $173,272 | $83.30 |
| 27 | Ohio | $155,183 | $74.61 |
| 28 | Utah | $152,447 | $73.29 |
| 29 | Missouri | $151,872 | $73.02 |
| 30 | Georgia | $149,657 | $71.95 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $145,250 | $69.83 |
| 32 | Florida | $146,358 | $70.36 |
| 33 | Arizona | $142,937 | $68.72 |
| 34 | Virginia | $152,872 | $73.50 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $140,135 | $67.37 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $138,554 | $66.61 |
| 37 | Colorado | $151,100 | $72.64 |
| 38 | Washington | $148,955 | $71.61 |
| 39 | Texas | $143,131 | $68.81 |
| 40 | Maine | $131,774 | $63.35 |
| 41 | Massachusetts | $144,019 | $69.24 |
| 42 | Oregon | $145,527 | $69.96 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $108,314 | $52.07 |
| 44 | Nevada | $139,154 | $66.90 |
| 45 | California | $142,436 | $68.48 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $133,880 | $64.37 |
| 47 | Rhode Island | $136,244 | $65.50 |
| 48 | Idaho | $128,630 | $61.84 |
| 49 | Montana | $122,588 | $58.94 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $119,770 | $57.58 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $98,991 | $47.59 |
Highest paying cities for optometrists
The highest-paying cities for optometrists are Greensboro, NC, Rochester, MN, and Omaha, NE.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greensboro, NC | $212,018 | $101.93 |
| 2 | Rochester, MN | $209,303 | $100.63 |
| 3 | Omaha, NE | $204,600 | $98.37 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $202,475 | $97.34 |
| 5 | Green Bay, WI | $187,352 | $90.07 |
| 6 | Rochester, NY | $187,094 | $89.95 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $185,070 | $88.98 |
| 8 | Washington, MI | $183,423 | $88.18 |
| 9 | Pittsburgh, PA | $182,339 | $87.66 |
| 10 | Richmond, KY | $181,071 | $87.05 |
| 11 | Columbia, MD | $180,358 | $86.71 |
| 12 | Kansas City, KS | $177,765 | $85.46 |
| 13 | Columbia, SC | $175,555 | $84.40 |
| 14 | Lafayette, IN | $175,236 | $84.25 |
| 15 | Dayton, OH | $173,956 | $83.63 |
| 16 | Lafayette, CO | $171,057 | $82.24 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $170,781 | $82.11 |
| 18 | Jacksonville, FL | $166,925 | $80.25 |
| 19 | Richmond, VA | $166,559 | $80.08 |
| 20 | Gainesville, GA | $164,499 | $79.09 |
Optometrists are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Optometrist salary details
An optometrist's salary ranges from $94,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $373,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an optometrist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $373,000 | $31,083 | $179 |
| 75th Percentile | $269,000 | $22,417 | $129 |
| Average | $187,654 | $15,638 | $90 |
| 25th Percentile | $130,000 | $10,833 | $63 |
| 10th Percentile | $94,000 | $7,833 | $45 |
Highest paying optometrist jobs
The highest paying types of optometrists are eye clinic manager, optometrist/practice owner, and optometrist, owner.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speech Pathologist | $62,640 | $5,220 | $30.12 | 22,779 |
Top companies hiring optometrists now:
Which companies pay optometrists the most?
Optometrist salaries at Mayo Clinic and Allina Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average optometrist salary at companies like Dignity Health and University of Maryland, Baltimore are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayo Clinic | $304,942 | $146.61 |
| 2 | Allina Health | $283,700 | $136.39 |
| 3 | Dignity Health | $279,869 | $134.55 |
| 4 | University of Maryland, Baltimore | $257,920 | $124.00 |
| 5 | HealthPartners | $254,959 | $122.58 |
| 6 | Kaiser Permanente | $254,835 | $122.52 |
| 7 | Phoenix Children's | $253,509 | $121.88 |
| 8 | Rochester Regional Health | $248,612 | $119.53 |
| 9 | East Boston Neighborhood Health Center | $247,732 | $119.10 |
| 10 | SEARHC | $243,342 | $116.99 |
| 11 | Stanford Health Care | $240,642 | $115.69 |
| 12 | Connecticut Children's Medical Center | $238,885 | $114.85 |
| 13 | Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation Inc. | $238,512 | $114.67 |
| 14 | Geisinger Medical Center | $237,739 | $114.30 |
| 15 | Spectrum Healthcare Resources | $236,743 | $113.82 |
| 16 | Cigna | $229,811 | $110.49 |
| 17 | UCI Health | $229,402 | $110.29 |
| 18 | SSM Health | $228,924 | $110.06 |
| 19 | Seattle Children's Healthcare System | $228,067 | $109.65 |
| 20 | Rutland Regional Medical Center | $227,197 | $109.23 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Optometrist salary trends
The average optometrist salary has risen by $37,133 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average optometrist earned $150,521 annually, but today, they earn $187,654 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for optometrists over the last decade.
Compare optometrist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average optometrist salary over time
Compare optometrist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Optometrist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $188,000 | $90.22 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $183,000 | $88.08 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | $178,000 | $85.43 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $175,000 | $84.30 | +3.8% |
| 2021 | $169,000 | $81.12 | +2.1% |
Recently added optometrist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago | Pediatric Optometrist | Schaumburg, IL | 06/30/2025 | $99,840 |
| Doc's Drugs | Optometrist | Ceiba, PR | 06/30/2025 | $130,438 |
| Doc's Drugs | Optometrist | Cedar Rapids, IA | 06/30/2025 | $130,438 |
| Doc's Drugs | Optometrist | Raleigh, NC | 06/30/2025 | $130,438 |
| The Eye Group | Optometrist Job-Coastal, Mississippi-Excellent OD Opportunity | Biloxi, MS | 06/29/2025 | $120,000 |
| The Eye Group | Optometrist Job-Wilmington, de-Part or In Ophthalmology#6140 | Wilmington, DE | 06/29/2025 | $100,000 |
| The Eye Group | Optometrist Job-Salt Lake City, UT Area-OD | Salt Lake City, UT | 06/29/2025 | $100,000 |
| The Eye Group | Optometrist Job-California Location of Your Choice-Optometry Opening#6344 | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $100,000 |
| Warby Parker | Optometrist-Fashion Valley | San Diego, CA | 06/29/2025 | $114,000 |
| Warby Parker | Optometrist, -Harbor East | Baltimore, MD | 06/29/2025 | $156,525 |
Optometrist salary FAQs
Search for optometrist jobs