CompSignalCompSignal

Optometrists Salary in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos

SOC 29-1041 · Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX · BLS OEWS May 2025

Median Annual Salary
$130,458
$62.72/hr
4.5% lower than the US national median ($136,573)
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Optometrists salary in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P50
P10$56K
P25$105K
P50$130K
P75$162K
P90$182K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
🔥
Demand: HOT. Demand is hot -- health care job openings are running at 5.3% (JOLTS, June 2026), a tight market. Candidates have leverage, so a competitive offer sits at or above the median; below-median offers often will not close.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in health care are rising about 3.6% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 3.2-3.7% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $130,458 to $162,302 (market median to the 75th percentile). Lean toward the top of the range for senior or hard-to-fill roles.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Optometrists pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 1.3% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, trailing the 3.6% wage growth of Health Care & Social Assistance (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · HOT

Health Care & Social Assistance is running a 5.3% job-openings rate with quits at 1.9% (BLS JOLTS). Demand has cooled for 2 straight months (6.1% down to 5.3%).

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 2.7 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is wider than typical, so expect large pay differences by experience, employer size, and geography; build generous ranges and differentiate strongly.

What changed recently
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings fell from 5.9% to 5.3% (down 147K), the sharpest monthly cooling this year, though still the second-tightest market.
  • Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 3.6% per year, the fastest of any major sector. Health benefit costs rose 6.0% nationally.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
Get notified when this number updates
Personal or work email, both work. No account needed. Unsubscribe anytime.

The median salary for Optometrists in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is $130,458 per year ($62.72/hr). This is 4.5% lower than the national median of $136,573.

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).

Wage Percentiles: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · BLS metro data
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salaryvs National
P10Entry level$27.07$56,306-24.8%
P25$50.69$105,435-3.6%
P50MEDIAN$62.72$130,458-4.5%
P75$78.03$162,302-1.7%
P90Top earners$87.70$182,416-9.8%
Get the full percentile report
P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Optometrists
Free. No account needed. Unsubscribe anytime.

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 2 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
NAICS 621300
27K$129,250
Offices of Physicians
NAICS 621100
6K$145,630
Wage range across top 5 industries: $129,250 to $145,630 (13% spread)
See the complete picture
Full percentile breakdown · JOLTS market signals · Geographic comparison · AI analyst briefs
Open CompSignal — Free
No credit card required · 770+ occupations · 393 metros

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the median optometrists salary in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?

The median (P50) annual salary for Optometrists in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is approximately $130,458, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 4.5% lower than the national median of $136,573. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.

Related Roles in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos

Same sector, top 5 by employment
Registered Nurses29-1141View salary →Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses29-2061View salary →Pharmacy Technicians29-2052View salary →Physicians, All Other29-1229View salary →Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians29-2010View salary →Browse all 770+ occupations →
Need custom compensation benchmarks?
Falcon Incentives designs pay structures, incentive plans, and sales comp programs for mid-market companies.
Talk to Falcon Incentives →

About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 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.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

About CompSignal

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.

Open the full app →About Falcon Incentives →Privacy Policy
Explore CompSignal →

Free BLS wage benchmarks, JOLTS talent signals, and AI analyst briefs

CompSignal by Falcon Incentives · BLS data, made usable · Verify on BLS.gov