The average optometrist salary in the United States is $187,654, but it ranges from $94,000 to $373,000 per year.
Optometrists earned an average salary of $133,100 in 2022, according to Zippia.
The median annual salary for optometrists in the United States is $125,590, with the top 25% earning $156,030 or more.
The average hourly rate for optometrists is $90.22 per hour, according to Salary.com.
The average optometrist salary varies by state, with the highest-paying states being Alaska, North Carolina, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Texas.
Factors such as education, certifications, and years of experience affect the average salary of an optometrist.
Optometrists with advanced degrees or specialized training can earn significantly higher salaries, up to $250,000 or more per year.
The average salary for an optometrist with 10-20 years of experience is around $150,000 per year, according to CareerExplorer.
Optometrists working in private practice tend to earn higher salaries than those working in hospitals or clinics, typically around $180,000 per year or more.
The average starting salary for an optometrist in the United States is around $109,000 per year, according to PayScale.
As experience increases, so does the average optometrist salary.
For example, an OD with 46 years of experience can earn $123,600 per year.
Employed optometrists in 2021 received an average salary of $132,524, while practice owners earned an average salary of $174,106.
The average optometrist salary has increased from $86,875 in 2000 to $109,000 in 2020, according to Eyes On Eyecare.
The top 10% of optometrists earn $191,430 or more per year, while the lowest-paid 10% earn $62,150 or less, according to All About Vision.
Optometrists working in urban areas tend to earn higher salaries than those working in rural areas, typically around $160,000 per year or more.
The estimated total pay for an optometrist in the United States is $158,117 per year, with an average salary of $131,662 per year, according to Glassdoor.
The national average annual wage of an optometrist is $119,980, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), well above the average annual salary for all occupations.