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Optometrist Salary in the United States

How much does an Optometrist make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Optometrist in the United States is $139,368 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $67.

However, an Optometrist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $161,900
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $132,333 to $151,162
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $125,928
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Optometrist Salaries

An Optometrist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Optometrist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Optometrist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $136,218
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $136,743
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $140,248
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $145,177
  • Expert (over 8 years): $146,057
Levels Salary
Entry Level Optometrist$136,218
Intermediate Level Optometrist$136,743
Senior Level Optometrist$140,248
Specialist Level Optometrist$145,177
Expert Level Optometrist$146,057
View as Graph

How Do Optometrists Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Optometrists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $154,308.
  • California: $153,723.
  • Massachusetts: $151,674.

Top Paying Cities for Optometrist

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $175,785
  • San Francisco: $173,860
  • Oakland: $170,196

What Skills Can Increase an Optometrist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Scheduling (Mentioned in 7.87% Job Postings): Scheduling is the process of arranging, controlling and optimizing work and workloads in a production process or manufacturing process.
  • Long Term Care (Mentioned in 3.28% Job Postings): Long-term care (LTC) is a variety of services which help meet both the medical and non-medical needs of people with a chronic illness or disability who cannot care for themselves for long periods. Long term care is focused on individualized and coordinated services that promote independence, maximize patients' quality of life, and meet patients' needs over a period of time. It is common for long-term care to provide custodial and non-skilled care, such as assisting with normal daily tasks like dressing, feeding, using the bathroom. Increasingly, long-term care involves providing a level of medical care that requires the expertise of skilled practitioners to address the multiple chronic conditions associated with older populations. Long-term care can be provided at home, in the community, in assisted living facilities or in nursing homes. Long-term care may be needed by people of any age, although it is a more common need for senior citizens.
  • Geriatrics (Mentioned in 2.31% Job Postings): Geriatrics, or geriatric medicine, is a medical specialty focused on providing care for the unique health needs of older adults. The term geriatrics originates from the Greek geron meaning "old man", and iatros meaning "healer".
Skills Demand Percentage
Scheduling 7.87%
Long Term Care 3.28%
Geriatrics 2.31%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Optometrist's salary.

  • Wholesale: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Financial Risk: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Wholesale $154,698
11%
Financial Risk $153,305
10%
Innovation $151,911
9%
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Optometrist Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Optometrist salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $149,455. While startup companies pay approximate $126,941.

Optometrist Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $126,941
Growth Stage 51~500 $134,114
Established 501~5000 $144,459
Enterprise 5000+ $149,455

Optometrist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Optometrist roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 30% above the average. Conversely, Optometrist positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Optometrist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for an Optometrist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$181,178$87.030%

How Education impacts an Optometrist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Optometrist enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Optometrist with a Bachelor's Degree is between $138,756 and $146,430.

Optometrist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Optometrist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.9%
High School 3.9%
Associates 1.3%
Bachelors 10.4%
Masters 9.1%
Doctorate 74.5%
View as Graph

Optometrist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Optometrist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$132,333
Average $139,368/year
$151,162
$11,028
Average $11,614/month
$12,597
$2,545
Average $2,680/week
$2,907
$64
Average $67/hour
$73
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $151,162 $12,597 $2,907 $73
Average $139,368 $11,614 $2,680 $67
25th Percentile $132,333 $11,028 $2,545 $64

Most common benefits for Optometrist

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Optometrist

Here are companies hiring for Optometrist and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Optometrist

1. Where can an Optometrist earn the most?

An Optometrist's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, an Optometrist earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of an Optometrist is $175,785.

2. What is the highest pay for Optometrist?

The highest pay for Optometrist is $161,900.

3. What is the lowest pay for Optometrist?

The lowest pay for Optometrist is $125,928.

4. What are the responsibilities of Optometrist?

Provides primary care and medical treatment to patients with visual system disorders and diseases. Examines patients' eyes to detect and diagnose vision problems, diseases, and other conditions, such as diabetes or hypertension. Develops treatment plans and prescribes eyeglasses, contact lenses, and/or medication to treat eye disorders. Educates patients on proper eye care and treatment plans. Requires a doctorate degree. Requires Licensed Optician. Requires State License to Practice. Typically reports to a manager. Years of experience may be unspecified. Certification and/or licensing in the position's specialty is the main requirement.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Optometrist?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Optometrist roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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