Optometrist pay can vary significantly depending on location, experience, practice setting, specialty training, and compensation structure. The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data puts the median annual wage for optometrists at $136,570 as of May 2025, or about $65.66 per hour.
The lowest 10% earned less than $74,870, while the highest 10% earned more than $202,180. BLS also projects optometrist employment to grow 10% from 2025 to 2035, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.
For 2026, a separate salary dataset estimates a national median of $140,612, or about $67.60 per hour. Because this figure is an estimate, it should be viewed alongside the latest confirmed BLS wage data rather than treated as a new BLS median.
What Is the Average Optometrist Salary?
The latest confirmed BLS median optometrist salary is $136,570 per year. BLS reports an average hourly wage of $65.66, although annual income can vary significantly based on hours worked, employment arrangement, and practice ownership.
Here is how the current BLS wage distribution looks:
| Pay Level | Annual Wage |
| Lowest 10% | Less than $74,870 |
| 25th percentile | $109,400 |
| Median | $136,570 |
| 75th percentile | $165,120 |
| Highest 10% | More than $202,180 |
The median is often more useful than an average when comparing salaries because it shows the midpoint of the profession. Half of optometrists earn more than the median, while half earn less.
A 2026 salary estimate puts the national median at $140,612, with estimated 10th- and 90th-percentile pay of $77,086 and $208,165. These figures are useful for understanding the current market, but they are estimates rather than confirmed BLS wages.
Optometrist Salary by Work Setting
Where an optometrist works can have a major effect on compensation. The latest BLS data shows different median wages across major industries:
| Work Setting | Median Annual Wage |
| Outpatient care centers | $207,030 |
| Retail trade | $159,250 |
| Offices of physicians | $145,630 |
| Offices of optometrists | $129,250 |
These figures describe wages by industry rather than guaranteed salaries for every job within that setting.
Private Practice
Private practice can offer higher long-term earning potential because an owner can earn from both professional services and the business itself. Income can depend on patient volume, optical sales, specialty services, staffing costs, rent, equipment, and other operating expenses.
An employed associate usually has less financial risk but also has less opportunity to build practice equity.
Corporate and Retail Optometry
Corporate and retail practices often provide a more predictable employment structure. Compensation may include a base salary or hourly rate plus productivity incentives.
Benefits can also add significant value to the overall package. Health insurance, retirement contributions, paid time off, continuing education support, and malpractice coverage can make two offers with similar salaries worth very different amounts.
Hospitals and Outpatient Care
Hospital and outpatient settings can provide strong compensation, especially for optometrists working with medical eye conditions and larger patient populations.
The latest BLS data shows outpatient care centers had the highest median wage among the major industries listed, at $207,030.
Government, Federal, and Academic Roles
Government and academic positions may offer a different compensation mix. The base salary may not always be the highest available, but retirement programs, paid leave, insurance, education benefits, and job stability can increase total compensation.
Optometrists seeking flexible assignments can also work with a healthcare staffing agency to find opportunities based on location, schedule, and compensation preferences.
How Much Do Optometrists Make in 2026?
The latest 2026 estimate places the national median optometrist salary at $140,612 per year, or approximately $67.60 per hour.
For context, the estimated range is:
- 10th percentile: $77,086
- Median: $140,612
- 90th percentile: $208,165
These 2026 figures are estimates based on salary modeling rather than a completed 2026 BLS wage survey. The latest confirmed BLS wage remains $136,570 from May 2025.
This distinction matters when comparing salary sources. A current estimate can help with 2026 planning, while BLS data provides the most reliable benchmark from an official wage survey.
Optometrist Salary by State
Location is one of the biggest factors affecting optometrist compensation. The May 2025 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that wages can vary considerably across the country.
Some of the highest state-level BLS mean annual wages reported for optometrists in 2025 include:
| State | Mean Annual Wage |
| Alaska | $165,120 |
| New Jersey | $161,110 |
| North Carolina | $161,030 |
| Maine | $160,730 |
| Washington | $159,380 |
| Virginia | $155,530 |
| New Mexico | $153,180 |
| New York | $153,130 |
| Massachusetts | $152,550 |
| Colorado | $152,460 |
These are mean wages, so they should not be compared directly with the national median or with estimates from other salary databases.
A separate 2026 salary dataset also shows substantial differences between states. Its current state-level estimates range from averages above $160,000 in North Carolina, New York, and New Jersey to averages below $115,000 in Oklahoma and West Virginia.
State-level differences can reflect local demand, practice concentration, patient volume, cost of living, scope of practice, and the mix of employers in each market.
For example, an optometrist working in a high-demand area may receive a stronger offer because a practice needs to attract and retain providers. A lower-cost rural market can also offer competitive compensation when employers have difficulty filling positions.
California is another good example. The optometrist salary in California can vary significantly by location, practice setting, and experience. The state has opportunities across private practices, medical eye-care settings, retail practices, and government facilities. At the same time, higher living costs can affect how far a salary goes compared with other states.
Optometrist Salary by Experience
Experience can affect compensation, but it is not the only factor. Practice setting, productivity, specialty training, and ownership opportunities can cause two optometrists with the same number of years in practice to earn very different amounts.
The 2025 Optometry Income Report, based on responses from more than 2,200 optometrists, reported the following average compensation levels by experience.
| Experience | Average Compensation |
| 0–5 years | $152,097 |
| 6–10 years | $166,655 |
| 11–15 years | $180,270 |
| 21–25 years | $190,884 |
These figures come from a professional compensation survey and use a different methodology from BLS wage data.
Early-career optometrists often begin as associates or employees. As they gain experience, they may take on more complex cases, develop specialty services, move into higher-paying practices, negotiate productivity bonuses, or pursue ownership.
What Determines an Optometrist’s Salary?
Salary differences usually come down to several factors rather than experience alone.
Practice Model
The employment model can have a major impact on earning potential.
An employed optometrist typically receives a predictable salary or hourly rate, often with benefits. Productivity-based compensation can provide additional income when an optometrist sees more patients or generates more eligible revenue.
An independent practice owner has greater financial responsibility but can also earn from the broader practice. Revenue may come from eye examinations, medical eye care, optical products, contact lenses, specialty services, and other offerings.
Sublease arrangements can provide another path to independence. In these arrangements, an optometrist operates an independent practice within a retail environment and is responsible for the financial performance of that practice.
Specialty Training
Additional training can create access to different types of clinical roles.
Optometrists may pursue residency or additional training in areas such as:
- Ocular disease
- Cornea and contact lenses
- Primary eye care
- Pediatrics
- Low vision rehabilitation
- Vision therapy
- Glaucoma
- Specialty contact lenses
- Myopia management
Specialty Training can also affect earning potential across the broader locum tenens market. If you are comparing compensation across medical fields, see the guide to highest paid locum tenens specialties for a broader look at which specialties tend to command higher rates.
Specialty skills can be particularly valuable in medical practices, academic settings, referral-based practices, and private practices that offer advanced services.
However, additional credentials do not automatically guarantee a higher salary. Their value depends on the local market and the role being offered.
Location and Scope of Practice
Location affects both salary and the cost of living.
State scope-of-practice rules can also affect the types of services an optometrist can provide. Broader authority for medical eye care and certain procedures can create opportunities in practices that emphasize disease management and advanced clinical services.
Rural and underserved areas can offer additional incentives when employers have difficulty recruiting providers. Depending on the position and program, these incentives can include signing bonuses, relocation assistance, or student-loan repayment.
Productivity and Patient Volume
Some optometry compensation packages include productivity incentives. The bonus may be tied to patient volume, examinations, collections, or other measures defined in the employment agreement.
This means an optometrist’s total income may be higher than the listed base salary.
Before accepting an offer, review exactly how the bonus is calculated. A higher advertised earning potential does not mean the same thing as a higher guaranteed salary.
Practice Ownership
Ownership can create the largest difference between employed income and long-term earning potential.
An owner can benefit from the financial performance of the entire practice rather than receiving compensation only for clinical work. At the same time, ownership comes with expenses such as staffing, rent, equipment, insurance, technology, supplies, and marketing.
The higher income potential comes with greater financial responsibility.
What Benefits Should Optometrists Look For?
Benefits can make a substantial difference in total compensation.
When reviewing an offer, check for:
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- Retirement contributions or matching
- Paid time off
- Paid holidays
- Continuing education funding
- Professional license fees
- Malpractice insurance
- Professional organization support
- Disability and life insurance
- Student-loan assistance
- Relocation assistance
- Signing bonuses
- Parental leave
- Schedule flexibility
Also check which expenses are covered by the employer and which come out of your compensation.
How Much Does a Correctional Optometrist Earn?
Correctional optometrist pay can vary widely because these positions are usually tied to a specific facility, contract, schedule, and state.
Recent correctional job postings in California show how much individual offers can differ. Some postings have listed rates around $91 per hour, while others have advertised rates above $120 per hour. Other correctional positions may offer lower hourly rates depending on the appointment structure and employment terms. For example, an optometrist job in Wasco currently pays $75 per hour.
These figures should not be treated as a statewide correctional optometrist salary average. They are individual job-posting rates and can change as positions are updated.
For correctional roles, compare the hourly rate with the schedule, guaranteed hours, benefits, contract length, travel requirements, and malpractice coverage before judging the total value of the position.
How to Compare Two Optometrist Job Offers
A higher salary does not automatically make one offer better.
Compare each offer across these areas:
| Compensation Factor | What to Check |
| Base salary | Guaranteed annual or hourly pay |
| Bonus | Formula, eligibility, and payment schedule |
| Benefits | Health, dental, vision, and other coverage |
| Retirement | Employer contribution or matching |
| PTO | Vacation, sick time, and holidays |
| CE | Annual budget and paid education days |
| Malpractice | Coverage and policy limits |
| Schedule | Hours, weekends, evenings, and flexibility |
| Patient volume | Expected daily workload |
| Ownership | Partnership or equity opportunities |
| Location | Cost of living and commute |
| Relocation | Moving assistance or signing bonus |
| Contract | Term, renewal, and termination conditions |
Pay close attention to bonus language. Ask whether the advertised compensation is guaranteed or depends on reaching production targets.
To Conclude!
The latest confirmed BLS data puts the median optometrist salary at $136,570, while current 2026 salary estimates place the median around $140,612.
Where you work matters, but so does how you work. Practice ownership, specialty training, patient volume, productivity compensation, location, and benefits can all change total earnings.
If you are comparing optometry jobs, look beyond the advertised salary. Consider the full compensation package, workload, cost of living, career progression, and potential for partnership or ownership. That gives you a more realistic picture of what an optometry career can pay over time.
FAQs
How Can Optometrists Increase Their Salary?
Optometrists can increase their earnings through specialty training, productivity-based compensation, partnership opportunities, or practice ownership. Changing employers or locations can also affect earning potential.
How Long Does It Take to Become an Optometrist?
Most optometrists complete a four-year Doctor of Optometry program after earning a bachelor’s degree. They must also meet required examination and state licensing requirements.
What Do Optometrists Do?
Optometrists examine eyes, diagnose and manage eye conditions, prescribe corrective lenses, and provide vision care. Their work can include routine exams as well as medical eye care.
Is Optometry a Good Career?
Optometry offers strong earning potential and a positive job outlook. BLS projects 10% employment growth from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations.
Is an Optometrist the Same as an Ophthalmologist?
No. Optometrists earn a Doctor of Optometry degree and provide primary and medical eye care. Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who can also perform eye surgery.
Do Optometrists Earn More in Private Practice or Employed Positions?
It depends on the role and compensation structure. Practice owners can earn more through business income, while employed positions often provide more predictable pay and benefits.
Will AI Replace Optometrists?
AI is unlikely to replace optometrists. Instead, it can assist with tasks such as screening and data analysis while optometrists continue to provide patient care and clinical decisions.
Which Career Is Better: B. Pharm or Optometry?
Neither career is better for everyone. B. Pharm may suit you if you prefer medicines and chemistry, while optometry may be a better fit if you enjoy patient care and eye health.
How Stressful Is a Career in Optometry?
Optometry is generally considered a low-to-moderate stress healthcare career. Stress can vary based on workload, patient volume, and the practice setting.
What Can I Do After Completing Optometry?
After optometry, you can work in clinical practice, join the optical industry, pursue advanced education, or start your own practice. Your choice depends on your career goals and interests.
