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The national median salary for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric is $300,082 per year ($144.27/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $173,659 and $421,533 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $489,715 per year. There are approximately 8,950 ophthalmologists, except pediatric employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Diagnose and perform surgery to treat and help prevent disorders and diseases of the eye. May also provide vision services for treatment including glasses and contacts.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+4.3%
Faster than average
Annual openings
300
per year, on avg
Workforce today
13K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
17% from new growth83% 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
Internship/residency
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Offices of Physicians
NAICS 621100
7K
$303,920
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
NAICS 622100
750
$246,010
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
NAICS 621300
650
$222,710
Outpatient Care Centers
NAICS 621400
300
$458,580
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
260
$225,210
Wage range across top 5 industries: $222,710 to $458,580 (106% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$48.16
$100,173
P25
$83.49
$173,659
P50MEDIAN
$144.27
$300,082
P75
$202.66
$421,533
P90
$235.44
$489,715
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 ophthalmologists, except pediatric salary?
The national median salary for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric is $300,082 per year ($144.27/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $173,659 and $421,533 annually.
How much do top-earning ophthalmologists, except pediatric make?
The 90th percentile salary for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric is $489,715 per year ($235.44/hr). The 75th percentile is $421,533 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for ophthalmologists, except pediatric?
Entry-level Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric (10th percentile) earn approximately $100,173 per year ($48.16/hr). The 25th percentile is $173,659 per year.
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.
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.
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