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The national median salary for Optometrists is $134,826 per year ($64.82/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024. The middle 50% of earners make between $103,314 and $163,717 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $203,216 per year. There are approximately 41,890 optometrists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system. Examine eyes and visual system, diagnose problems or impairments, prescribe corrective lenses, and provide treatment. May prescribe therapeutic drugs to treat specific eye conditions. Ophthalmologists are included in “Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric” (29-1241).
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+8.0%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
2K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
48K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
16% from new growth84% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
NAICS 621300
26K
$127,990
Offices of Physicians
NAICS 621100
7K
$145,600
Health and Personal Care Retailers
NAICS 456100
5K
$157,280
Outpatient Care Centers
NAICS 621400
2K
$196,800
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
NAICS 622100
460
$153,470
Wage range across top 5 industries: $127,990 to $196,800 (54% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$33.68
$70,054
P25
$49.67
$103,314
P50MEDIAN
$64.82
$134,826
P75
$78.71
$163,717
P90
$97.70
$203,216
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · health sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.4%
Quits Rate
1.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance openings rebounded to 1.36M (+87K) in March with rate at 5.4%. Hires rose to 700K (+75K). The sector remains structurally tight; compensation pressure persists for clinical roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average optometrists salary?
The national median salary for Optometrists is $134,826 per year ($64.82/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2024 data. The middle 50% earn between $103,314 and $163,717 annually.
How much do top-earning optometrists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Optometrists is $203,216 per year ($97.70/hr). The 75th percentile is $163,717 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for optometrists?
Entry-level Optometrists (10th percentile) earn approximately $70,054 per year ($33.68/hr). The 25th percentile is $103,314 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.