Optometrists provide primary eye care — from routine exams and glasses prescriptions to diagnosing and managing eye diseases. Here’s what ODs actually earn across settings and states.
Pay at a Glance (BLS Data)
Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates for optometrists, across all industries:
Percentile
Annual Wage
Hourly Equivalent
10th (entry level)
$74,870
$36.00
25th
$109,400
$52.60
50th (median)
$136,570
$65.66
75th
$165,120
$79.38
90th
$202,180
$97.20
Average (mean)
$141,550
$68.05
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, for Optometrists (all industries). Hourly figures are annual wages divided by 2,080 hours. “Not published” means BLS withheld the estimate, usually because wages are above its top reporting limit.
Optometrist Salary by Setting
Setting
Notes
Private Practice (Owner, Established)
Optical sales add significant revenue
Private Practice (Associate)
Common first role
Corporate (LensCrafters, Pearle)
Predictable, benefits included
Retail (Walmart, Costco, Target)
Often highest for employed ODs
Hospital/Health System
Benefits, loan repayment possible
VA/Government
Excellent benefits, loan repayment
FQHC/Community Health
NHSC loan repayment available
Academic/Faculty
Teaching + research
Ophthalmology Practice (OD)
Medical eye care, co-management
Optometrist Salary by State
Rank
State
Avg Salary
Starting Salary
Median Salary
1
Alaska
$165,120
$98,530
$170,310
2
New Jersey
$161,110
$104,730
$159,040
3
North Carolina
$161,030
$94,320
$161,560
4
Maine
$160,730
$102,600
$154,110
5
Washington
$159,380
$103,880
$157,560
6
Virginia
$155,530
$62,430
$131,570
7
New Mexico
$153,180
$88,160
$144,660
8
New York
$153,130
$95,460
$161,140
9
Massachusetts
$152,550
$95,780
$151,730
10
Colorado
$152,460
$65,910
$152,000
11
Minnesota
$151,450
$96,670
$158,700
12
Hawaii
$149,920
$107,090
$154,620
13
Maryland
$148,910
$50,560
$165,840
14
Connecticut
$147,820
$99,200
$150,340
15
California
$147,420
$99,890
$136,300
16
New Hampshire
$146,430
$76,360
$125,560
17
Vermont
$146,240
$60,290
$137,290
18
Rhode Island
$145,800
$71,670
$134,520
19
District of Columbia
$145,590
$102,570
$134,840
20
Michigan
$144,610
$98,110
$135,650
21
Illinois
$143,720
$93,350
$145,620
22
Florida
$143,020
$62,490
$151,670
23
Delaware
$142,820
$77,980
$161,270
24
Wisconsin
$142,800
$75,390
$139,720
25
Kentucky
$142,710
$82,240
$128,860
26
Kansas
$140,510
$85,010
$138,580
27
Pennsylvania
$139,660
$92,970
$135,400
28
Alabama
$137,460
$56,740
$145,090
29
Indiana
$137,020
$76,860
$135,500
30
Nevada
$137,020
$74,530
$135,650
31
Arizona
$135,280
$99,570
$122,250
32
Ohio
$133,960
$63,650
$134,850
33
Missouri
$133,680
$64,610
$133,810
34
Nebraska
$132,660
$65,170
$125,040
35
North Dakota
$132,080
$74,610
$132,110
36
West Virginia
$130,750
$69,830
$118,010
37
South Carolina
$129,570
$51,740
$145,950
38
Georgia
$128,630
$51,030
$128,830
39
Utah
$128,180
$44,470
$119,070
40
Oregon
$127,920
$83,830
$132,020
41
Mississippi
$126,580
$63,470
$108,070
42
Arkansas
$125,460
$57,960
$124,470
43
Texas
$124,760
$54,180
$126,000
44
Iowa
$123,250
$73,660
$125,380
45
Louisiana
$121,000
$45,420
$118,060
46
Tennessee
$120,920
$47,630
$134,170
47
South Dakota
$118,060
$90,560
$102,320
48
Wyoming
$115,500
$51,580
$111,400
49
Oklahoma
$114,710
$59,990
$97,350
50
Idaho
$113,870
$52,000
$103,390
51
Montana
$106,200
$58,450
$104,280
—
National
$141,550
$74,870
$136,570
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 estimates, fetched 2026-09-29. Figures cover Optometrists (cross-industry). Some states are omitted where BLS did not publish a reliable estimate.
Private Practice vs. Corporate
Factor
Private Practice (Owner)
Corporate/Retail
Base income
Varies ($120K-$300K+)
$120,000-$165,000
Optical revenue
Owner keeps it
Company keeps it
Schedule control
Full
Limited
Benefits
Self-funded
Included (health, retirement, CE)
Business risk
High
None
Buy-in/startup cost
$200,000-$600,000+
$0
Patient relationships
Long-term
May rotate locations
Income ceiling
Very high
Capped
Weekends
Your choice
Often required
Practice Ownership Economics
Revenue Level
Gross Revenue
Overhead (55-65%)
Net Income
Low
$400,000
$240,000
$160,000
Moderate
$600,000
$360,000
$240,000
Strong
$800,000
$480,000
$320,000
High-volume
$1,000,000+
$600,000
$400,000+
Optical sales are the key. Practices that capture glasses and contact lens sales in-house generate 40-60% more revenue than exam-only practices.
Optometrist Career Path
Stage
Income Range
Timeline
Optometry Student
-$45,000-$65,000/year (tuition)
4 years
Residency (optional)
$45,000-$55,000
1 year
Associate OD (new graduate)
$95,000-$120,000
Years 1-3
Corporate/Retail OD
$120,000-$160,000
Years 1-10+
Practice Owner (growing)
$120,000-$180,000
Years 3-7
Practice Owner (established)
$180,000-$300,000+
Years 7-15
Multi-location Owner
$250,000-$500,000+
Years 10+
Optometrist Income vs. Debt
Metric
Value
Average optometry school debt
$200,000-$250,000
Annual loan payment (10-year)
~$27,000-$34,000
Annual loan payment (20-year)
~$17,000-$22,000
Starting salary
$95,000-$120,000
Net after loans (10-year)
$61,000-$86,000
Debt-to-income ratio
1.7-2.6x (associate)
NHSC loan repayment
Up to $50,000 (2 years, FQHC)
Optometrist vs. Similar Eye Care Careers
Career
Median Salary
Education
Scope
Ophthalmologist (MD/DO)
$300,000+
Medical school + residency
Surgery + medical
Optometrist (OD)
$125,000
4-year OD program
Primary eye care
Ophthalmic Technician
$42,000
Certificate/Associate
Assists ophthalmologist
Optician
$45,000
Certificate/Associate
Fits and dispenses eyewear
How to Maximize Optometrist Salary
Strategy
Potential Increase
Own a practice with optical dispensary
+$30,000-$150,000+
Work retail/corporate (Costco, Walmart)
Competitive starting pay
Specialty contact lenses (scleral, ortho-K)
+$15,000-$40,000
Dry eye management/meibomian gland treatment
+$10,000-$30,000
Myopia management programs
+$10,000-$25,000
Medical optometry (disease management)
+$5,000-$15,000
Relocate to underserved/rural area
+$10,000-$30,000 + loan repayment
Add aesthetic services
+$10,000-$20,000
Job Market & Outlook
Factor
Status
Job growth (2025-2035)
9.5%
New graduates per year
~2,000
Aging population
Increased demand for eye care
Scope of practice expansion
Ongoing in many states (more procedures)
Corporate vs. private
Corporate growing; private resilient
Telehealth impact
Limited — in-person exams essential
AI screening tools
Augmenting, not replacing ODs
Work-Life Balance
Setting
Schedule
Rating
Private Practice (Owner)
35-45 hrs, 4-day weeks common
Good to excellent
Corporate/Retail
40-45 hrs, weekends often required
Moderate
VA/Government
40 hrs, M-F
Good
Hospital
40 hrs, M-F
Good
Academic
40 hrs, M-F
Good
Optometry consistently ranks among the best healthcare professions for work-life balance.
WealthVieu researches and writes data-driven personal finance guides using primary sources including the IRS, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, and Census Bureau.
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