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Optometrist: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 23, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$136,570median pay per year, or $65.66 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $74,870lowest 10% earn less
  2. $109,40025th percentile
  3. $136,570median
  4. $165,12075th percentile
  5. $202,180top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

The median optometrist earned $136,570 a year in May 2025, well above the $50,980 median for all occupations[1][2]. Jobs are projected to grow 9.5% from 2025 to 2035[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+9.5%[3]
Openings per year
2,000[5]
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree[6]

How much do optometrists make?

The median wage for optometrists was $136,570 a year, or $65.66 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The average was $141,550 a year, or $68.05 an hour[7]. For all occupations, the median was $50,980 a year[2].

Pay varies a lot. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $74,870 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $202,180[4]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[8].

Level Annual Hourly
10th percentile[4][9] $74,870 $35.99
25th percentile[4][9] $109,400 $52.59
Median[1] $136,570 $65.66
75th percentile[4][9] $165,120 $79.39
90th percentile[4][9] $202,180 $97.20

These figures cover workers paid a wage or salary. They leave out self-employed workers and owners of unincorporated firms, and they do not count benefits such as health insurance[10]. In 2025, 5% of optometrists were self-employed[11].

Pay by state and city

Alaska had the highest median wage at $170,310, but it had only 60 jobs[12]. Maryland followed at $165,840, then North Carolina at $161,560[12]. Oklahoma was last among the listed states at $97,350[12].

California had the most optometrist jobs at 6,890, followed by Texas with 4,110 and New York with 2,390[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA paid the most at $167,810[14]. Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY ($165,640) and Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY ($164,020) came next[14]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs at 2,580, followed by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim with 2,360[15].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Alaska[12]$170,31060
Maryland$165,840780
North Carolina$161,5601,140
Delaware$161,270190
New York$161,1402,390
New Jersey$159,0401,380
Minnesota$158,700710
Washington$157,560760
Hawaii$154,620230
Maine$154,110180
Colorado$152,000880
Massachusetts$151,730950
Florida$151,6702,350
Connecticut$150,340490
South Carolina$145,950480
Illinois$145,6201,540
Alabama$145,090460
New Mexico$144,660130
Wisconsin$139,720790
Kansas$138,580660
Vermont$137,29090
California$136,3006,890
Michigan$135,6501,410
Nevada$135,650430
Indiana$135,5001,040
Pennsylvania$135,4001,720
Ohio$134,8501,300
District of Columbia$134,84050
Rhode Island$134,520250
Tennessee$134,170660
Missouri$133,810630
North Dakota$132,110140
Oregon$132,020560
Virginia$131,5701,110
Kentucky$128,860430
Georgia$128,830870
Texas$126,0004,110
New Hampshire$125,560210
Iowa$125,380450
Nebraska$125,040340
Arkansas$124,470320
Arizona$122,2501,080
Utah$119,070380
Louisiana$118,060250
West Virginia$118,010150
Wyoming$111,40090
Mississippi$108,070240
Montana$104,280140
Idaho$103,390160
South Dakota$102,320190
Oklahoma$97,350570

How to become an optometrist

BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the entry education, with no related work experience and no on-the-job training[6]. In an O*NET survey of 21 workers, 95% said a doctoral degree is required[16]. The usual steps, in order, are below[17][18].

Two extras are optional. You can add 1 year of advanced clinical training in an area such as primary care or ocular disease[23]. You can also earn board certification by passing an exam[24].

Good optometrists weigh test results and choose a treatment, explain care in plain terms, and keep careful records[25][26][27]. They also need compassion for patients frustrated by vision problems[28].

What optometrists do

Optometrists diagnose, manage and treat conditions of the eye and visual system[29]. Common tasks include:

Where they work

Optometrists typically work in offices, including offices of optometry and of physicians. Some work in retail settings such as eyeglass stores[31]. In 2025, 61% of optometrists worked in offices of optometrists[32].

Most optometrists work full time, though part-time work is common. Schedules can include evenings and weekends[33].

Job outlook

BLS projects optometrist employment to grow 9.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 45,100 to 49,400 jobs, a gain of 4,300[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[34]. These counts include self-employed workers[3].

BLS expects about 2,000 openings a year on average[5]. Openings include jobs created when workers retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 2.9% of optometrists leave the labor force and 0.4% move to a different occupation[35].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show high pay compared with all occupations and growth faster than the all-occupations rate[1][2][3][34]. The cost is a long road. It includes at least 3 years of college, a 4-year doctoral program and a state license[19][21][18]. The work involves patient care, so decision-making, communication and attention to detail matter[25][26][27]. Pay also differs by state, from $97,350 in Oklahoma to $170,310 in Alaska[12].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[36].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an optometrist make an hour?
The median was $65.66 an hour in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35.99 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $97.20[1][9].
How long does it take to become an optometrist?
The O.D. program takes 4 years, and applicants have at least 3 years of college first[17][19][21]. A license is also required[18].
What degree do you need to be an optometrist?
A Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree from an accredited program[19][18].
Is optometry in demand?
BLS projects 9.5% growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations, and about 2,000 openings a year[3][34][5].
What is the highest paying state for optometrists?
Alaska had the highest median at $170,310, with 60 jobs[12]. Maryland ($165,840) and North Carolina ($161,560) followed[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Optometrists in the US was $136,570 per year and $65.66 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Optometrists is projected to grow 9.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 45,100 to 49,400 jobs (a change of +4,300). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Optometrists: 10th percentile $74,870, 25th percentile $109,400, 75th percentile $165,120, 90th percentile $202,180. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 2,000 openings for Optometrists are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Optometrists: education needed for entry: Doctoral or professional degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Optometrists was $141,550 per year and $68.05 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Optometrists: 10th percentile $35.99, 25th percentile $52.59, 75th percentile $79.39, 90th percentile $97.20. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS Employment Projections: 5% of Optometrists were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  12. Median annual wage for Optometrists in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Optometrists jobs: California 6,890; Texas 4,110; New York 2,390; Florida 2,350; Pennsylvania 1,720. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Optometrists (areas with at least 100 jobs): Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $167,810; Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $165,640; Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $164,020; Wilmington, NC $163,800; Raleigh-Cary, NC $163,290; Birmingham, AL $162,890; Jacksonville, FL $161,560; Portland-South Portland, ME $161,220. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Optometrists jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 2,580 (median $161,030); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,360 (median $138,940); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 1,250 (median $124,640); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 1,180 (median $142,580); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 1,160 (median $145,630); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 890 (median $153,980). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 29-1041.00 survey of workers (21 respondents), education level they say is required: Doctoral Degree 95% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. O*NET description of Optometrists. O*NET OnLine
  30. O*NET task list for Optometrists. O*NET OnLine
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of optometrists in 2025: Offices of optometrists 61%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  34. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  35. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Optometrists: 2.9% of workers leave the labor force each year and 0.4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  36. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.