Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric Salary in California
SOC 29-1241 · California · BLS OEWS May 2025
Median Annual Salary
$400,150
$192.38/hr
33.3% higher than the US national median ($300,082)
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Is this a competitive Ophthalmologists salary in California in 2026?
Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.
$Competitive · ~P50
P10$99K
P25$186K
P50$400K
P75$434K
P90$499K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
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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.
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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 $400,150 to $433,534 (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 Ophthalmologists pay is moving in 2026
Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and 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 4.9 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
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The median salary for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric in California is $400,150 per year ($192.38/hr). This is 33.3% higher than the national median of $300,082.
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.
Wage Percentiles: California
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · National adjusted
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
vs National
P10Entry level
$47.61
$99,029
-1.1%
P25
$89.52
$186,202
+7.2%
P50MEDIAN
$192.38
$400,150
+33.3%
P75
$208.43
$433,534
+2.8%
P90Top earners
$240.06
$499,325
+2.0%
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P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Ophthalmologists
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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 2 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
Wage range across top 5 industries: $246,010 to $303,920 (24% spread)
See the complete picture
Full percentile breakdown · JOLTS market signals · Geographic comparison · AI analyst briefs
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median ophthalmologists, except pediatric salary in California?
The median (P50) annual salary for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric in California is approximately $400,150, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 33.3% higher than the national median of $300,082. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.
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.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.
