SOC 29-1041 · Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations

Optometrists

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries

U.S. median annual wage$136,570

U.S. median hourly wage$65.66

U.S. employment42,790

Nationally, optometrists earned a median of $136,570 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 42,790 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.

National pay distribution

Pay by state

Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

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Optometrists: pay and employment by state
State
Alaska	$170,310	$81.88	60	0.2
Maryland	$165,840	$79.73	780	0.3
North Carolina	$161,560	$77.67	1,140	0.2
Delaware	$161,270	$77.54	190	0.4
New York	$161,140	$77.47	2,390	0.2
New Jersey	$159,040	$76.46	1,380	0.3
Minnesota	$158,700	$76.30	710	0.2
Washington	$157,560	$75.75	760	0.2
Hawaii	$154,620	$74.34	230	0.4
Maine	$154,110	$74.09	180	0.3
Colorado	$152,000	$73.08	880	0.3
Massachusetts	$151,730	$72.95	950	0.3
Florida	$151,670	$72.92	2,350	0.2
Connecticut	$150,340	$72.28	490	0.3
South Carolina	$145,950	$70.17	480	0.2
Illinois	$145,620	$70.01	1,540	0.3
Alabama	$145,090	$69.75	460	0.2
New Mexico	$144,660	$69.55	130	0.1
Wisconsin	$139,720	$67.17	790	0.3
Kansas	$138,580	$66.63	660	0.5
Vermont	$137,290	$66.01	90	0.3
California	$136,300	$65.53	6,890	0.4
Michigan	$135,650	$65.21	1,410	0.3
Nevada	$135,650	$65.22	430	0.3
Indiana	$135,500	$65.14	1,040	0.3
Pennsylvania	$135,400	$65.10	1,720	0.3
Ohio	$134,850	$64.83	1,300	0.2
District of Columbia	$134,840	$64.83	50	0.1
Rhode Island	$134,520	$64.67	250	0.5
Tennessee	$134,170	$64.51	660	0.2
Missouri	$133,810	$64.33	630	0.2
Puerto Rico	$132,790	$63.84	280	0.3
North Dakota	$132,110	$63.51	140	0.3
Oregon	$132,020	$63.47	560	0.3
Virginia	$131,570	$63.25	1,110	0.3
Kentucky	$128,860	$61.95	430	0.2
Georgia	$128,830	$61.94	870	0.2
Texas	$126,000	$60.58	4,110	0.3
New Hampshire	$125,560	$60.36	210	0.3
Iowa	$125,380	$60.28	450	0.3
Nebraska	$125,040	$60.12	340	0.3
Arkansas	$124,470	$59.84	320	0.2
Arizona	$122,250	$58.78	1,080	0.3
Utah	$119,070	$57.25	380	0.2
Louisiana	$118,060	$56.76	250	0.1
West Virginia	$118,010	$56.74	150	0.2
Wyoming	$111,400	$53.56	90	0.3
Mississippi	$108,070	$51.96	240	0.2
Montana	$104,280	$50.14	140	0.3
Idaho	$103,390	$49.71	160	0.2
South Dakota	$102,320	$49.19	190	0.4
Oklahoma	$97,350	$46.80	570	0.3

Pay by metro area

All 185 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.

Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.

Filter metro area

Optometrists: pay and employment by metro area
Metro area
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN	$175,810	$84.52	40	0.5
Asheville, NC	$167,980	$80.76	40	0.2
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$167,810	$80.68	420	0.2
Anchorage, AK	$167,000	$80.29	30	0.2
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	$166,880	$80.23	40	0.1
Peoria, IL	$166,600	$80.10	50	0.3
Albuquerque, NM	$165,810	$79.71	70	0.2
Dover, DE	$165,660	$79.64	30	0.5
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$165,640	$79.63	160	0.3
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$165,360	$79.50	80	0.4
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	$164,020	$78.85	130	0.3
Wilmington, NC	$163,800	$78.75	120	0.6
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$163,290	$78.51	240	0.3
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO	$163,240	$78.48	80	0.5
Birmingham, AL	$162,890	$78.31	110	0.2
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL	$162,690	$78.21	80	0.2
Winston-Salem, NC	$162,540	$78.14	70	0.3
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY	$161,850	$77.81	90	0.3
Jacksonville, FL	$161,560	$77.67	150	0.2
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	$161,540	$77.67	80	0.3
Portland-South Portland, ME	$161,220	$77.51	100	0.3
Huntsville, AL	$161,170	$77.49	50	0.2
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$161,030	$77.42	2,580	0.3
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL	$160,680	$77.25	40	0.5
Killeen-Temple, TX	$160,460	$77.14	30	0.2
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$160,090	$76.97	290	0.2
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$159,790	$76.82	470	0.2
Rochester, NY	$159,380	$76.62	120	0.2
Savannah, GA	$159,330	$76.60	30	0.2
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$158,130	$76.02	470	0.3
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	$157,970	$75.95	50	0.2
Tucson, AZ	$157,650	$75.79	80	0.2
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$157,210	$75.58	260	0.2
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	$157,140	$75.55	120	0.4
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$156,990	$75.48	300	0.3
Columbia, SC	$156,350	$75.17	90	0.2
Trenton-Princeton, NJ	$155,960	$74.98	70	0.3
Vallejo, CA	$155,950	$74.97	90	0.6
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$154,970	$74.51	710	0.3
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$154,690	$74.37	770	0.2
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	$154,660	$74.36	70	0.2
Barnstable Town, MA	$154,290	$74.18	30	0.3
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	$154,050	$74.06	70	0.3
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$153,980	$74.03	890	0.3
Syracuse, NY	$153,790	$73.94	100	0.3
Boulder, CO	$153,500	$73.80	60	0.3
Ocala, FL	$152,880	$73.50	40	0.3
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	$150,640	$72.42	100	0.3
New Haven, CT	$150,640	$72.42	90	0.3
Amherst Town-Northampton, MA	$150,520	$72.36	40	0.6
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA	$150,420	$72.32	50	0.4
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	$150,340	$72.28	190	0.3
Appleton, WI	$150,060	$72.15	60	0.4
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC	$150,010	$72.12	50	0.3
Worcester, MA	$149,600	$71.92	90	0.3
Kennewick-Richland, WA	$149,510	$71.88	30	0.3
Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC	$149,380	$71.82	70	0.2
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$145,630	$70.01	1,160	0.3
Roanoke, VA	$144,900	$69.66	40	0.3
Green Bay, WI	$144,840	$69.64	40	0.2
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$144,270	$69.36	330	0.2
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$144,260	$69.36	180	0.2
Burlington-South Burlington, VT	$143,700	$69.09	30	0.3
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA	$142,720	$68.61	40	0.3
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$142,690	$68.60	610	0.3
Wausau, WI	$142,690	$68.60	30	0.5
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$142,580	$68.55	1,180	0.5
Urban Honolulu, HI	$141,770	$68.16	170	0.4
Reno, NV	$141,230	$67.90	80	0.3
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$140,790	$67.69	870	0.2
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	$140,160	$67.39	50	0.2
Lubbock, TX	$140,070	$67.34	60	0.3
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	$139,910	$67.26	310	0.4
Chico, CA	$139,890	$67.26	30	0.4
Reading, PA	$139,400	$67.02	40	0.2
Lexington-Fayette, KY	$139,060	$66.85	40	0.1
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	$139,030	$66.84	60	0.2
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$139,020	$66.84	510	0.5
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH	$139,000	$66.83	70	0.2
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$138,940	$66.80	2,360	0.4
Kansas City, MO-KS	$138,580	$66.63	450	0.4
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI	$138,360	$66.52	30	0.2
Springfield, MO	$138,160	$66.42	70	0.3
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$138,130	$66.41	350	0.2
Corpus Christi, TX	$138,120	$66.40	70	0.4
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$137,590	$66.15	340	0.3
Modesto, CA	$137,480	$66.09	90	0.4
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	$137,250	$65.99	150	0.2
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	$136,920	$65.83	40	0.3
Fresno, CA	$136,730	$65.74	100	0.2
Springfield, MA	$136,680	$65.71	30	0.2
Waterbury-Shelton, CT	$136,590	$65.67	50	0.3
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$136,250	$65.51	350	0.3
New Orleans-Metairie, LA	$136,200	$65.48	50	0.1
Cleveland, OH	$135,880	$65.33	250	0.2
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$135,720	$65.25	230	0.3
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	$135,460	$65.12	310	0.3
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$135,330	$65.06	580	0.5
Visalia, CA	$135,160	$64.98	30	0.2
St. Louis, MO-IL	$135,090	$64.95	340	0.3
York-Hanover, PA	$134,990	$64.90	80	0.4
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN	$134,830	$64.82	50	0.5
Salem, OR	$134,590	$64.71	60	0.3
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	$134,420	$64.63	170	0.3
Albany, GA	$134,250	$64.54	40	0.7
Erie, PA	$134,230	$64.53	40	0.4
Flint, MI	$134,030	$64.44	70	0.5
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	$133,820	$64.34	90	0.3
Evansville, IN	$133,800	$64.33	40	0.3
Ann Arbor, MI	$133,770	$64.31	50	0.2
Columbus, OH	$133,370	$64.12	260	0.2
Salinas, CA	$133,350	$64.11	60	0.3
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$133,280	$64.08	540	0.3
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA	$133,010	$63.95	80	0.3
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR	$132,790	$63.84	220	0.3
Bloomington, IL	$132,740	$63.82	40	0.4
Fargo, ND-MN	$132,690	$63.79	40	0.2
Stockton-Lodi, CA	$132,390	$63.65	70	0.3
Lancaster, PA	$132,360	$63.64	60	0.2
El Paso, TX	$132,240	$63.58	70	0.2
Clarksville, TN-KY	$132,200	$63.56	30	0.3
Ogden, UT	$132,160	$63.54	70	0.3
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	$132,130	$63.52	210	0.3
Colorado Springs, CO	$131,980	$63.45	100	0.3
St. Cloud, MN	$131,960	$63.44	30	0.3
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR	$131,890	$63.41	80	0.3
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI	$131,770	$63.35	70	0.5
Akron, OH	$131,210	$63.08	70	0.2
Richmond, VA	$131,080	$63.02	180	0.3
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	$131,060	$63.01	40	0.2
Topeka, KS	$130,930	$62.95	30	0.3
Lansing-East Lansing, MI	$130,710	$62.84	70	0.3
Toledo, OH	$130,640	$62.81	60	0.2
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	$130,460	$62.72	350	0.3
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	$130,450	$62.72	50	0.2
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	$130,390	$62.69	70	0.3
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$129,990	$62.50	510	0.3
Pittsburgh, PA	$129,900	$62.45	340	0.3
Bend, OR	$129,810	$62.41	40	0.3
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	$129,780	$62.40	110	0.3
Amarillo, TX	$129,490	$62.26	40	0.3
Fort Wayne, IN	$129,390	$62.21	60	0.3
Bakersfield-Delano, CA	$129,370	$62.20	100	0.3
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$129,150	$62.09	120	0.4
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$129,080	$62.06	110	0.2
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	$129,020	$62.03	30	0.3
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	$128,890	$61.97	40	0.2
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$128,830	$61.94	450	0.2
College Station-Bryan, TX	$128,500	$61.78	40	0.3
Madison, WI	$128,220	$61.65	100	0.2
Lynchburg, VA	$128,010	$61.55	40	0.4
Longview, TX	$127,840	$61.46	30	0.3
Tyler, TX	$127,300	$61.20	40	0.4
Canton-Massillon, OH	$127,190	$61.15	40	0.3
Omaha, NE-IA	$127,110	$61.11	140	0.3
Chattanooga, TN-GA	$126,600	$60.87	60	0.2
Lincoln, NE	$126,510	$60.82	70	0.4
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	$126,180	$60.66	60	0.3
Eugene-Springfield, OR	$125,760	$60.46	40	0.2
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$125,530	$60.35	820	0.3
Knoxville, TN	$125,090	$60.14	80	0.2
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$124,640	$59.92	1,250	0.4
Manchester-Nashua, NH	$124,470	$59.84	100	0.5
Sioux Falls, SD-MN	$124,470	$59.84	70	0.4
Wichita, KS	$123,940	$59.59	120	0.4
Jackson, MS	$122,770	$59.03	60	0.2
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	$122,150	$58.73	50	0.5
Columbus, GA-AL	$121,830	$58.57	30	0.3
Bismarck, ND	$121,100	$58.22	30	0.5
Traverse City, MI	$118,030	$56.75	40	0.6
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	$115,960	$55.75	860	0.4
Baton Rouge, LA	$115,210	$55.39	40	0.1
Johnson City, TN	$115,210	$55.39	30	0.4
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	$114,360	$54.98	70	0.2
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	$111,780	$53.74	730	0.6
Fort Smith, AR-OK	$109,200	$52.50	40	0.4
Oklahoma City, OK	$104,870	$50.42	170	0.2
Boise City, ID	$103,890	$49.95	60	0.2
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	$103,670	$49.84	30	0.2
Cedar Rapids, IA	$102,860	$49.45	50	0.4
Tulsa, OK	$100,250	$48.20	190	0.4
Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT	$86,250	$41.47	60	0.2
St. George, UT	$79,990	$38.46	30	0.4
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV	Not published	Not published	50	0.5
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	Not published	Not published	210	0.3

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.