Optometrist Salary

An Optometrist Salary is calculated by the US Government Bureau of Labor Statistics from a variety of sources. Optometrists work in a number of settings including hospitals, clinics and schools. The average optometrists salary varies depending on the location and the setting. The assumption was made that the optometrists reflected here were working an average of 40 hours per week with a total of 2080 hours per year.

Optometrist Salary: Median Hourly & Annual Data

Hourly

The Optometrist median salary is $48.96 per hour. The lowest 10% earn $23.07 per hour and those in the upper 10% earn more than $70.00 per hour.

Annually

On an annual basis the median optometrist salary is $101,840. The lowest 10% earn $47,980 per year while the upper 10% earn more than $145,000 per year. These salaries are calculated as a mean or average. 

Lowest and Highest Optometrist Salary

The lowest paid Optometrists earn less than $40,000 annually while the highest paid Optometrists earn more than $180,000 per year.

Top 5 States

The best states  are Vermont $165,930, Louisiana $147,070, North Carolina $125,100, Georgia $124,260, Alaska $122,560.

Top 5 Metropolitan Areas

The best city or metropolitan areas to be an optometrist are New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA $163,080, Greensboro-High Point, NC $153,230, Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR $152,320, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA $147,250, Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division $142,000.
 

Other Industries that Employ Opticians

Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing, Management of companies and enterprises, and other ambulatory care centers also employ these professionals.

Employment Data

According to the US Department of Labor nationally there are over 25,970 optometrists working in the U.S.

Where They Work

Of all the Optometrists employed in the United States over 18,000 of them work in the offices of other healthcare practitioners such as ophthalmologists, physicians and other healthcare providers. Health and personal care stores, outpatient care centers and the federal government also employ optometrists.

Private Practice Vs Employment

Optometrists in private practice earned a median salary of approximately $120,227 per year based on a 2002 survey conducted by Review of Optometry Online. The highest reported salary was over $600,000 per year and the lowest was $30,000.

Benefits

Fringe benefits will vary depending on business size and other factors. To see what a typical benefits package is worth  A typical employment benefits package is worth over $20,000 per year.