How much does an Eye Surgeon make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Eye Surgeon in the United States is $235,735 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $113.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $281,206
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $213,218 to $259,536
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $192,717

Key Factors That Influence Eye Surgeon Salaries

An Eye Surgeon'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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Eye Surgeon Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Eye Surgeon'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): $149,811
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $126,229
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $159,839
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $194,865
  • Expert (over 8 years): $240,426
Levels Salary
Quality A... Level Eye Surgeon$149,811
Quality A... Level Eye Surgeon$126,229
Quality A... Level Eye Surgeon$159,839
Quality A... Level Eye Surgeon$194,865
Eye Surge... Level Eye Surgeon$240,426

Top Paying Cities for Eye Surgeons

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: $297,333
  • San Francisco: $294,077
  • Oakland: $287,880

What Skills Can Increase an Eye Surgeon's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 13.43% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Patient Care (Mentioned in 1.49% Job Postings): Patient care refers to the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of physical and mental well-being through services offered by health professionals.
  • Insurance Sales (Mentioned in 0.75% Job Postings): Insurance sales involves selling various types of insurance to customers, including home, life, health and auto insurance. Primary goal is to get information about clients' needs and match them with insurance policies they offer.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 13.43%
Patient Care 1.49%
Insurance Sales 0.75%

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 Eye Surgeon's salary.

  • Delegation: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Results Oriented: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Clinical Trial: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Delegation $273,453
16%
Results Oriented $259,309
10%
Clinical Trial $254,594
8%

Eye Surgeon Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Eye Surgeon roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 45% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Internet sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Eye Surgeon positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Eye Surgeon as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Eye Surgeon

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals$294,669$142.025%
Internet$282,882$136.020%
Energy & Utilities$259,309$125.010%
Insurance$259,309$125.010%
Telecom$259,309$125.010%

Eye Surgeon Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Eye Surgeon'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 September 01, 2026
$213,218
Average $235,735/year
$259,536
$17,768
Average $19,645/month
$21,628
$4,100
Average $4,533/week
$4,991
$103
Average $113/hour
$125
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $259,536 $21,628 $4,991 $125
Average $235,735 $19,645 $4,533 $113
25th Percentile $213,218 $17,768 $4,100 $103

Most common benefits for Eye Surgeon

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

Common company salaries for Eye Surgeon

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

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FAQ about Eye Surgeon

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Eye Surgeon?

The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Eye Surgeon roles, with salaries approximately 25% 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.)

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