Optometrists: salary, outlook & degrees
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.
Middle half $109,400–$165,120. 42,790 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
100% hold a bachelor's or higher. Those with one: $119,324.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 2,000 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Extensive preparation (usually a graduate degree).
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Degrees that lead to this career
What workers ages 25-34 in this job studied, among those with a bachelor's or higher. This is what people actually did, not a requirement.
| Field of bachelor's degree | Share | Degree pages |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | 43% | Biology |
| Physiology | 6% | Physiology |
| Psychology | 4% | Psychology |
| Biochemical Sciences | 4% | Biochemistry |
| Molecular Biology | 4% | Neuroscience · Cell / Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences |
| Nursing | 3% | Nursing |
| Chemistry | 3% | Chemistry |
| Multi-Disciplinary Or General Science | 2% | Biological and Physical Sciences |
| Physical Fitness Parks Recreation And Leisure | 2% | Kinesiology / Exercise Science · Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies |
| General Medical And Health Services | 2% | Health Sciences |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, employed, bachelor's or higher; top 10 fields); EducationGuide calculation.
Education workers say the job requires
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers (“required level of education”); small samples, so treat shares as approximate.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $170,310 |
| Maryland | $165,840 |
| North Carolina | $161,560 |
| Delaware | $161,270 |
| New York | $161,140 |
| New Jersey | $159,040 |
| Minnesota | $158,700 |
| Washington | $157,560 |
| Hawaii | $154,620 |
| Maine | $154,110 |
| Colorado | $152,000 |
| Massachusetts | $151,730 |
| Florida | $151,670 |
| Connecticut | $150,340 |
| South Carolina | $145,950 |
| Illinois | $145,620 |
| Alabama | $145,090 |
| New Mexico | $144,660 |
| Wisconsin | $139,720 |
| Kansas | $138,580 |
| Vermont | $137,290 |
| California | $136,300 |
| Michigan | $135,650 |
| Nevada | $135,650 |
| Indiana | $135,500 |
| Pennsylvania | $135,400 |
| Ohio | $134,850 |
| District of Columbia | $134,840 |
| Rhode Island | $134,520 |
| Tennessee | $134,170 |
| Missouri | $133,810 |
| PR | $132,790 |
| North Dakota | $132,110 |
| Oregon | $132,020 |
| Virginia | $131,570 |
| Kentucky | $128,860 |
| Georgia | $128,830 |
| Texas | $126,000 |
| New Hampshire | $125,560 |
| Iowa | $125,380 |
| Nebraska | $125,040 |
| Arkansas | $124,470 |
| Arizona | $122,250 |
| Utah | $119,070 |
| Louisiana | $118,060 |
| West Virginia | $118,010 |
| Wyoming | $111,400 |
| Mississippi | $108,070 |
| Montana | $104,280 |
| Idaho | $103,390 |
| South Dakota | $102,320 |
| Oklahoma | $97,350 |
Florida metro areas
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach$125,530
- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater$138,130
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford$160,090
- Jacksonville$161,560
- Lakeland-Winter Haven$157,140
- Cape Coral-Fort Myers$161,540
- North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota$162,690
- Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent$154,050
Virginia metro areas
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$154,690
- Richmond$131,080
- Kingsport-Bristol$150,420
- Lynchburg$128,010
- Roanoke$144,900
California metro areas
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim$138,940
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$142,580
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$135,330
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad$133,280
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario$129,990
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom$139,020
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura$129,150
- Bakersfield-Delano$129,370
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Speaking
Knowledge used
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Biology
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Mathematics
Work styles
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Integrity
- Intellectual Curiosity
People in this job tend to have Investigative (analytical), Social (helping), Realistic (hands-on) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Optometrists: questions
How much do optometrists make?
Optometrists earn a U.S. median $136,570 a year; the middle half earn $109,400 to $165,120 (BLS, May 2025). Workers ages 25-34 in this job earn a median $119,324 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is optometrists a growing field?
BLS projects growth of 9.5% from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,000 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be an optometrist?
BLS lists the typical entry education as doctoral or professional degree. In O*NET's survey, 100% of workers say a bachelor's or higher is required. Among workers ages 25-34 with a bachelor's, the most common field of degree is biology (43%).
How much do optometrists make in Florida?
The median in Florida is $151,670 a year (BLS, May 2025), compared with $136,570 nationally.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 29-1041. Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all careers
Cite this: “Optometrists: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/optometrists.