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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2019

29-1041 Optometrists

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).

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
39,420 2.6 % $59.12 $122,980 1.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $28.46 $42.20 $55.41 $68.65 $93.32
Annual Wage (2) $59,200 $87,780 $115,250 $142,790 $194,100

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 22,590 2.36 $56.92 $118,390
Offices of Physicians 6,750 0.25 $66.54 $138,410
Health and Personal Care Stores 6,250 0.59 $56.74 $118,030
Outpatient Care Centers 1,440 0.15 $74.41 $154,770
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 650 0.01 (8) (8)

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 22,590 2.36 $56.92 $118,390
Health and Personal Care Stores 6,250 0.59 $56.74 $118,030
Offices of Physicians 6,750 0.25 $66.54 $138,410
Outpatient Care Centers 1,440 0.15 $74.41 $154,770
Offices of Dentists 270 0.03 $80.11 $166,620

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Dentists 270 0.03 $80.11 $166,620
Outpatient Care Centers 1,440 0.15 $74.41 $154,770
Offices of Physicians 6,750 0.25 $66.54 $138,410
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 350 0.01 $64.52 $134,200
Management of Companies and Enterprises 50 (7) $62.19 $129,350

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 4,270 0.25 0.92 $63.92 $132,950
Texas 2,930 0.24 0.88 $58.07 $120,790
Illinois 2,080 0.35 1.29 $60.39 $125,610
Florida 1,980 0.23 0.84 $47.38 $98,550
New York 1,910 0.20 0.75 $65.64 $136,530




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nebraska 480 0.49 1.82 $48.43 $100,730
Oklahoma 730 0.45 1.69 $49.34 $102,620
Kansas 520 0.38 1.40 $58.01 $120,660
Illinois 2,080 0.35 1.29 $60.39 $125,610
Iowa 510 0.33 1.21 $67.52 $140,450




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Dakota 140 0.32 1.20 $83.79 $174,290
Vermont 80 0.25 0.95 $69.78 $145,150
West Virginia 170 0.24 0.89 $69.12 $143,760
Alaska 80 0.27 0.99 $69.01 $143,540
Iowa 510 0.33 1.21 $67.52 $140,450





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 1,980 0.20 0.76 $63.85 $132,810
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 1,730 0.37 1.38 $62.28 $129,540
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,610 0.26 0.96 $59.66 $124,090
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 910 0.25 0.93 $52.76 $109,740
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 910 0.33 1.21 $67.40 $140,190
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 820 0.26 0.96 $64.50 $134,160
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 760 0.26 0.98 $77.02 $160,200
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 710 0.36 1.34 $65.83 $136,920
Pittsburgh, PA 700 0.61 2.26 $52.68 $109,570
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 700 0.35 1.31 $61.99 $128,950




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC 60 0.74 2.74 $54.02 $112,360
Lebanon, PA 30 0.68 2.55 (8) (8)
Wheeling, WV-OH 40 0.67 2.51 $66.92 $139,190
East Stroudsburg, PA 40 0.62 2.30 (8) (8)
Altoona, PA 40 0.62 2.31 $66.25 $137,800
Pittsburgh, PA 700 0.61 2.26 $52.68 $109,570
Waterbury, CT 40 0.60 2.22 $82.28 $171,140
York-Hanover, PA 110 0.60 2.22 $45.39 $94,410
State College, PA 40 0.60 2.24 $53.59 $111,480
Johnson City, TN 40 0.58 2.15 $54.31 $112,960