Optometrist Assistant Salary in the United States

How much does an Optometrist Assistant make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for an Optometrist Assistant in the United States is $137,599 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $66.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $156,761
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $130,038 to $147,629
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $123,154
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View as table View as graph 25% $130,038 10% $123,154 90% $156,761 75% $147,629 $137,599 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Optometrist Assistant Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $147,629 $12,302 $2,839 $71
Average $137,599 $11,467 $2,646 $66
25th Percentile $130,038 $10,837 $2,501 $63
Check out Optometrist Assistant Job Openings in the United States
Optometrist

The Eye Place - JASPER, GA

Optometrist

Cascade Eye & Skin Centers, P.C. - PUYALLUP, WA

Optometrist

SEECA Medical - HOUMA, LA

Optometrist

Casco Bay EyeCare - PORTLAND, ME

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Key Factors That Influence Optometrist Assistant Salaries

An Optometrist Assistant'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 Assistant Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Optometrist Assistant'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): $136,024
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $136,549
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $140,037
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $144,868
  • Expert (over 8 years): $145,731
Levels Salary
Entry Level Optometrist Assistant$136,024
Intermediate Level Optometrist Assistant$136,549
Senior Level Optometrist Assistant$140,037
Specialist Level Optometrist Assistant$144,868
Expert Level Optometrist Assistant$145,731
$136,024 0 yr
$136,549 < 2 yrs
$140,037 2-4 yrs
$144,868 5-8 yrs
$145,731 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Optometrist Assistants

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: $173,554
  • San Francisco: $171,847
  • Oakland: $168,036

What Skills Can Increase an Optometrist Assistant'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".
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Scheduling 7.87%
Long Term Care 3.28%
Geriatrics 2.31%
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 Assistant'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
$152,735
11%
Financial Risk
$151,359
10%
Innovation
$149,983
9%
Collaborating
$149,983
9%
Motivating
$149,983
9%
Pathology
$148,607
8%
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How Education impacts an Optometrist Assistant's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Optometrist Assistants enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree 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 Assistant with a Bachelor's Degree is between $138,756 and $146,430).

Optometrist Assistant Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Optometrist Assistant
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%
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Optometrist Assistant Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Optometrist Assistant'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 January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Optometrist Assistant

Salaries for an Optometrist Assistant can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $112,170 in 2023 to around $111,738 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Optometrist Assistant salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Optometrist Assistant Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$112,170
2024
$113,528
2025
$111,738
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $112,170
2024 $113,528
2025 $111,738
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Optometrist Assistant

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Optometrist Assistant

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

Find Your Next Optometrist Assistant Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Optometrist Assistant job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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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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