Optometrists salary
Optometrists earn a median of $136,570 a year ($65.66/hr) in the U.S. – from $97,350 in Oklahoma to $170,310 in Alaska. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$65.66/hr · $136,570 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$74,870$35.99/hr
75% earn more$109,400$52.59/hr
half earn more, half less$136,570$65.66/hr
25% earn more$165,120$79.39/hr
top 10% earn more$202,180$97.20/hr
pulled up by top earners$141,550$68.05/hr
How does my pay compare?
Enter your pay to see where you stand among optometrists. Nothing you type leaves your device.
Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for optometrists. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
60 jobs · $81.88/hr$170,310
780 jobs · $79.73/hr$165,840
1,140 jobs · $77.67/hr$161,560
190 jobs · $77.54/hr$161,270
2,390 jobs · $77.47/hr$161,140
1,380 jobs · $76.46/hr$159,040
710 jobs · $76.30/hr$158,700
760 jobs · $75.75/hr$157,560
230 jobs · $74.34/hr$154,620
180 jobs · $74.09/hr$154,110
880 jobs · $73.08/hr$152,000
950 jobs · $72.95/hr$151,730
2,350 jobs · $72.92/hr$151,670
490 jobs · $72.28/hr$150,340
480 jobs · $70.17/hr$145,950
1,540 jobs · $70.01/hr$145,620
460 jobs · $69.75/hr$145,090
130 jobs · $69.55/hr$144,660
790 jobs · $67.17/hr$139,720
660 jobs · $66.63/hr$138,580
90 jobs · $66.01/hr$137,290
6,890 jobs · $65.53/hr$136,300
1,410 jobs · $65.21/hr$135,650
430 jobs · $65.22/hr$135,650
1,040 jobs · $65.14/hr$135,500
1,720 jobs · $65.10/hr$135,400
1,300 jobs · $64.83/hr$134,850
50 jobs · $64.83/hr$134,840
250 jobs · $64.67/hr$134,520
660 jobs · $64.51/hr$134,170
630 jobs · $64.33/hr$133,810
280 jobs · $63.84/hr$132,790
140 jobs · $63.51/hr$132,110
560 jobs · $63.47/hr$132,020
1,110 jobs · $63.25/hr$131,570
430 jobs · $61.95/hr$128,860
870 jobs · $61.94/hr$128,830
4,110 jobs · $60.58/hr$126,000
210 jobs · $60.36/hr$125,560
450 jobs · $60.28/hr$125,380
340 jobs · $60.12/hr$125,040
320 jobs · $59.84/hr$124,470
1,080 jobs · $58.78/hr$122,250
380 jobs · $57.25/hr$119,070
250 jobs · $56.76/hr$118,060
150 jobs · $56.74/hr$118,010
90 jobs · $53.56/hr$111,400
240 jobs · $51.96/hr$108,070
140 jobs · $50.14/hr$104,280
160 jobs · $49.71/hr$103,390
190 jobs · $49.19/hr$102,320
570 jobs · $46.80/hr$97,350
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 29-1041. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do optometrists make?
The median wage for optometrists in the U.S. was $65.66 an hour or $136,570 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $109,400 and $165,120 a year.
Which state pays optometrists the most?
Alaska has the highest median wage for optometrists: $170,310 a year. The lowest published median is in Oklahoma at $97,350. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many optometrists are there?
BLS estimates 42,790 optometrists were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.