Optometrists
Optometrists (SOC 29-1041) earn a median $136,570 a year ($65.66 an hour) in the United States, with 42,790 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Alaska.
What optometrists do
Optometrists diagnose and manage conditions of the eye and visual system. In an examination they test visual acuity, perception, focus and eye coordination, using instruments and drugs to find abnormalities such as glaucoma or color blindness. They analyze the results, develop a treatment plan, and prescribe, supply, fit and adjust eyeglasses, contact lenses and other vision aids. Where state law permits, they prescribe medications for eye disease, and they remove foreign bodies from the eye. They also teach patients about contact lens care, visual hygiene, lighting and safety, and they provide pre- and post-operative care to patients who undergo eye surgery such as cataract or laser correction. When a patient needs further medical treatment, the optometrist refers them to an ophthalmologist or another practitioner. Nearly all people in this occupation hold a doctoral or first professional degree. The SOC counts ophthalmologists in their own code, not here, and eye surgery is their domain rather than the optometrist's.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a doctoral degree as the typical level of education for this occupation (95 percent).
Also called: Optometrist, Optometry Doctor (OD), Therapeutic Optometrist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $35.99 | $52.59 | $65.66 | $79.39 | $97.20 | $68.05 | 42,790 |
| Annual | $74,870 | $109,400 | $136,570 | $165,120 | $202,180 | $141,550 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where optometrists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $47.37 | $64.66 | $81.88 | $97.84 | $104.89 | $79.38 | 60 | 0.18 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $98,530 | $134,480 | $170,310 | $203,510 | $218,180 | $165,120 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $24.31 | $39.32 | $79.73 | $97.02 | $103.57 | $71.59 | 780 | 0.28 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $50,560 | $81,780 | $165,840 | $201,810 | $215,420 | $148,910 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $45.35 | $59.25 | $77.67 | $93.17 | $103.53 | $77.42 | 1,140 | 0.23 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $94,320 | $123,250 | $161,560 | $193,790 | $215,340 | $161,030 | ||||
| Delaware | Hourly | $37.49 | $51.87 | $77.54 | $84.49 | $90.62 | $68.66 | 190 | 0.38 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $77,980 | $107,880 | $161,270 | $175,750 | $188,490 | $142,820 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $45.89 | $61.49 | $77.47 | $84.49 | $97.62 | $73.62 | 2,390 | 0.25 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $95,460 | $127,900 | $161,140 | $175,740 | $203,040 | $153,130 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $48.02 | $59.12 | $65.53 | $79.95 | $102.74 | $70.87 | 6,890 | 0.38 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $99,890 | $122,960 | $136,300 | $166,300 | $213,710 | $147,420 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $26.05 | $48.90 | $60.58 | $74.56 | $79.05 | $59.98 | 4,110 | 0.29 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $54,180 | $101,700 | $126,000 | $155,090 | $164,420 | $124,760 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $45.89 | $61.49 | $77.47 | $84.49 | $97.62 | $73.62 | 2,390 | 0.25 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $95,460 | $127,900 | $161,140 | $175,740 | $203,040 | $153,130 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $30.04 | $59.00 | $72.92 | $80.42 | $94.33 | $68.76 | 2,350 | 0.24 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $62,490 | $122,730 | $151,670 | $167,270 | $196,210 | $143,020 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $44.70 | $53.36 | $65.10 | $78.79 | $83.35 | $67.15 | 1,720 | 0.28 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $92,970 | $110,990 | $135,400 | $163,890 | $173,380 | $139,660 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | Hourly | $53.14 | $63.00 | $84.52 | $94.70 | $107.76 | $81.21 | 40 | 0.47 | 1.72 |
| Annual | $110,530 | $131,040 | $175,810 | $196,980 | $224,140 | $168,910 | ||||
| Asheville, NC | Hourly | $45.78 | $60.53 | $80.76 | $95.38 | $99.62 | $78.34 | 40 | 0.23 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $95,220 | $125,900 | $167,980 | $198,380 | $207,200 | $162,950 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $58.34 | $64.72 | $80.68 | $96.55 | $109.39 | $82.57 | 420 | 0.20 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $121,350 | $134,630 | $167,810 | $200,830 | $227,540 | $171,750 | ||||
| Anchorage, AK | Hourly | $37.59 | $49.93 | $80.29 | $97.84 | $98.40 | $76.05 | 30 | 0.17 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $78,190 | $103,850 | $167,000 | $203,510 | $204,680 | $158,180 | ||||
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | Hourly | $48.50 | $58.21 | $80.23 | $98.56 | $104.57 | $79.09 | 40 | 0.12 | 0.44 |
| Annual | $100,870 | $121,080 | $166,880 | $205,000 | $217,510 | $164,510 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $50.35 | $62.50 | $77.42 | $86.07 | $97.62 | $75.65 | 2,580 | 0.27 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $104,730 | $130,000 | $161,030 | $179,020 | $203,050 | $157,350 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $35.36 | $61.32 | $66.80 | $77.60 | $100.73 | $69.02 | 2,360 | 0.38 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $73,540 | $127,550 | $138,940 | $161,410 | $209,530 | $143,560 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $46.16 | $49.87 | $59.92 | $70.65 | $77.89 | $60.04 | 1,250 | 0.38 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $96,020 | $103,720 | $124,640 | $146,950 | $162,010 | $124,890 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $51.82 | $61.97 | $68.55 | $83.30 | $106.42 | $73.14 | 1,180 | 0.50 | 1.81 |
| Annual | $107,780 | $128,900 | $142,580 | $173,260 | $221,350 | $152,140 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $44.88 | $63.51 | $70.01 | $78.17 | $89.55 | $69.39 | 1,160 | 0.26 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $93,350 | $132,090 | $145,630 | $162,590 | $186,250 | $144,330 | ||||
Top industries employing optometrists
Offices of Other Health Practitioners employ 64.0% of optometrists nationally (27,380 jobs) at a median $129,250 a year ($62.14 an hour), followed by Offices of Physicians (14.1%) and Outpatient Care Centers (4.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 27,380 | 64.0% | $129,250 | $62.14 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 6,050 | 14.1% | $145,630 | $70.01 |
| Outpatient Care Centers NAICS 621400 | 1,700 | 4.0% | $207,030 | $99.53 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 470 | 1.1% | $159,790 | $76.82 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 460 | 1.1% | $115,210 | $55.39 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (42,790). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $124,300 for optometrists in May 2021 and $136,570 in May 2025, with employment of 38,720 and 42,790.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $124,300 | $59.76 | 38,720 |
| May 2022 | $125,590 | $60.38 | 40,640 |
| May 2023 | $131,860 | $63.39 | 41,390 |
| May 2024 | $134,830 | $64.82 | 41,890 |
| May 2025 | $136,570 | $65.66 | 42,790 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska profile | $81.88 | $170,310 | $98,530 | $218,180 | 60 | 0.18 | 0.67 |
| 2 | Maryland profile | $79.73 | $165,840 | $50,560 | $215,420 | 780 | 0.28 | 1.02 |
| 3 | North Carolina profile | $77.67 | $161,560 | $94,320 | $215,340 | 1,140 | 0.23 | 0.84 |
| 4 | Delaware profile | $77.54 | $161,270 | $77,980 | $188,490 | 190 | 0.38 | 1.39 |
| 5 | New York profile | $77.47 | $161,140 | $95,460 | $203,040 | 2,390 | 0.25 | 0.90 |
| 6 | New Jersey profile | $76.46 | $159,040 | $104,730 | $232,960 | 1,380 | 0.32 | 1.17 |
| 7 | Minnesota profile | $76.30 | $158,700 | $96,670 | $206,960 | 710 | 0.24 | 0.88 |
| 8 | Washington profile | $75.75 | $157,560 | $103,880 | $217,900 | 760 | 0.22 | 0.78 |
| 9 | Hawaii profile | $74.34 | $154,620 | $107,090 | $205,390 | 230 | 0.36 | 1.32 |
| 10 | Maine profile | $74.09 | $154,110 | $102,600 | $241,200 | 180 | 0.28 | 1.02 |
| 11 | Colorado profile | $73.08 | $152,000 | $65,910 | $212,120 | 880 | 0.31 | 1.12 |
| 12 | Massachusetts profile | $72.95 | $151,730 | $95,780 | $196,470 | 950 | 0.26 | 0.95 |
| 13 | Florida profile | $72.92 | $151,670 | $62,490 | $196,210 | 2,350 | 0.24 | 0.86 |
| 14 | Connecticut profile | $72.28 | $150,340 | $99,200 | $214,040 | 490 | 0.29 | 1.06 |
| 15 | South Carolina profile | $70.17 | $145,950 | $51,740 | $172,060 | 480 | 0.21 | 0.76 |
| 16 | Illinois profile | $70.01 | $145,620 | $93,350 | $190,620 | 1,540 | 0.25 | 0.92 |
| 17 | Alabama profile | $69.75 | $145,090 | $56,740 | $196,600 | 460 | 0.22 | 0.78 |
| 18 | New Mexico profile | $69.55 | $144,660 | $88,160 | $202,980 | 130 | 0.15 | 0.53 |
| 19 | Wisconsin profile | $67.17 | $139,720 | $75,390 | $203,670 | 790 | 0.27 | 0.97 |
| 20 | Kansas profile | $66.63 | $138,580 | $85,010 | $192,720 | 660 | 0.46 | 1.66 |
| 21 | Vermont profile | $66.01 | $137,290 | $60,290 | $194,190 | 90 | 0.31 | 1.12 |
| 22 | California profile | $65.53 | $136,300 | $99,890 | $213,710 | 6,890 | 0.38 | 1.37 |
| 23 | Michigan profile | $65.21 | $135,650 | $98,110 | $213,850 | 1,410 | 0.32 | 1.16 |
| 24 | Nevada profile | $65.22 | $135,650 | $74,530 | $181,520 | 430 | 0.28 | 1.00 |
| 25 | Indiana profile | $65.14 | $135,500 | $76,860 | $193,270 | 1,040 | 0.32 | 1.18 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania profile | $65.10 | $135,400 | $92,970 | $173,380 | 1,720 | 0.28 | 1.03 |
| 27 | Ohio profile | $64.83 | $134,850 | $63,650 | $190,630 | 1,300 | 0.24 | 0.85 |
| 28 | District of Columbia profile | $64.83 | $134,840 | $102,570 | $207,570 | 50 | 0.07 | 0.26 |
| 29 | Rhode Island profile | $64.67 | $134,520 | $71,670 | $215,640 | 250 | 0.50 | 1.82 |
| 30 | Tennessee profile | $64.51 | $134,170 | $47,630 | $167,420 | 660 | 0.20 | 0.73 |
| 31 | Missouri profile | $64.33 | $133,810 | $64,610 | $175,270 | 630 | 0.22 | 0.78 |
| 32 | North Dakota profile | $63.51 | $132,110 | $74,610 | $178,900 | 140 | 0.33 | 1.18 |
| 33 | Oregon profile | $63.47 | $132,020 | $83,830 | $161,480 | 560 | 0.29 | 1.04 |
| 34 | Virginia profile | $63.25 | $131,570 | $62,430 | $235,980 | 1,110 | 0.27 | 0.98 |
| 35 | Kentucky profile | $61.95 | $128,860 | $82,240 | $254,630 | 430 | 0.22 | 0.79 |
| 36 | Georgia profile | $61.94 | $128,830 | $51,030 | $189,610 | 870 | 0.18 | 0.65 |
| 37 | Texas profile | $60.58 | $126,000 | $54,180 | $164,420 | 4,110 | 0.29 | 1.06 |
| 38 | New Hampshire profile | $60.36 | $125,560 | $76,360 | $205,560 | 210 | 0.31 | 1.12 |
| 39 | Iowa profile | $60.28 | $125,380 | $73,660 | $175,460 | 450 | 0.29 | 1.05 |
| 40 | Nebraska profile | $60.12 | $125,040 | $65,170 | $205,450 | 340 | 0.33 | 1.20 |
| 41 | Arkansas profile | $59.84 | $124,470 | $57,960 | $181,520 | 320 | 0.25 | 0.90 |
| 42 | Arizona profile | $58.78 | $122,250 | $99,570 | $171,490 | 1,080 | 0.33 | 1.21 |
| 43 | Utah profile | $57.25 | $119,070 | $44,470 | $172,480 | 380 | 0.22 | 0.79 |
| 44 | Louisiana profile | $56.76 | $118,060 | $45,420 | $183,670 | 250 | 0.13 | 0.47 |
| 45 | West Virginia profile | $56.74 | $118,010 | $69,830 | $198,570 | 150 | 0.22 | 0.80 |
| 46 | Wyoming profile | $53.56 | $111,400 | $51,580 | $178,860 | 90 | 0.33 | 1.19 |
| 47 | Mississippi profile | $51.96 | $108,070 | $63,470 | $215,640 | 240 | 0.20 | 0.74 |
| 48 | Montana profile | $50.14 | $104,280 | $58,450 | $163,030 | 140 | 0.28 | 1.02 |
| 49 | Idaho profile | $49.71 | $103,390 | $52,000 | $189,570 | 160 | 0.19 | 0.68 |
| 50 | South Dakota profile | $49.19 | $102,320 | $90,560 | $174,920 | 190 | 0.41 | 1.50 |
| 51 | Oklahoma profile | $46.80 | $97,350 | $59,990 | $174,620 | 570 | 0.33 | 1.21 |
Part of Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 29-1041 Optometrists.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 29-1041, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 29-1041.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.