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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

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 Optometrists
Industry profile for Optometrists
Geographic profile for Optometrists

National estimates for Optometrists:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Optometrists:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
38,720 3.6 % $ 60.31 $ 125,440 1.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for Optometrists:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 29.61 $ 46.27 $ 59.76 $ 68.14 $ 92.50
Annual Wage (2) $ 61,590 $ 96,230 $ 124,300 $ 141,730 $ 192,390


Industry profile for Optometrists:

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Optometrists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 23,990 2.47 $ 56.28 $ 117,060
Offices of Physicians 6,900 0.26 $ 71.25 $ 148,200
Health and Personal Care Stores 4,610 0.46 $ 59.29 $ 123,330
Outpatient Care Centers 1,410 0.14 $ 84.13 $ 174,980
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 530 0.03 $ 37.46 $ 77,920

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Optometrists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 23,990 2.47 $ 56.28 $ 117,060
Health and Personal Care Stores 4,610 0.46 $ 59.29 $ 123,330
Offices of Physicians 6,900 0.26 $ 71.25 $ 148,200
Outpatient Care Centers 1,410 0.14 $ 84.13 $ 174,980
Offices of Dentists 260 0.03 $ 81.96 $ 170,470

Top paying industries for Optometrists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Outpatient Care Centers 1,410 0.14 $ 84.13 $ 174,980
Offices of Dentists 260 0.03 $ 81.96 $ 170,470
Offices of Physicians 6,900 0.26 $ 71.25 $ 148,200
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 350 0.01 $ 63.31 $ 131,690
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 60 (7) $ 60.28 $ 125,370


Geographic profile for Optometrists:

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



Map of employment of optometrists by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Optometrists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 6,730 0.41 1.48 $ 61.80 $ 128,540
Texas 2,980 0.24 0.89 $ 62.55 $ 130,110
Florida 2,310 0.27 0.97 $ 51.54 $ 107,200
Pennsylvania 2,090 0.37 1.36 $ 63.39 $ 131,860
Illinois 1,770 0.32 1.15 $ 53.75 $ 111,790


Map of location quotient of optometrists by state, May 2021


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

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Rhode Island 210 0.46 1.68 (8) (8)
Nebraska 420 0.43 1.58 $ 61.16 $ 127,210
Montana 200 0.42 1.51 $ 54.47 $ 113,290
California 6,730 0.41 1.48 $ 61.80 $ 128,540
Hawaii 220 0.39 1.43 $ 66.58 $ 138,480


Map of annual mean wages of optometrists by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Optometrists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Connecticut 430 0.28 1.00 $ 74.55 $ 155,070
Maryland 630 0.25 0.90 $ 69.51 $ 144,570
Alaska 80 0.27 0.97 $ 68.88 $ 143,260
North Carolina 1,010 0.23 0.83 $ 67.86 $ 141,140
Louisiana 250 0.14 0.51 $ 66.59 $ 138,520



Map of employment of optometrists by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Optometrists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,820 0.49 1.79 $ 60.58 $ 126,010
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 1,530 0.18 0.64 $ 67.56 $ 140,520
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 1,390 0.33 1.20 $ 53.72 $ 111,740
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,100 0.49 1.78 $ 65.05 $ 135,310
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 850 0.35 1.27 $ 47.55 $ 98,900
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 840 0.29 1.05 $ 54.97 $ 114,340
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 820 0.28 1.02 $ 67.32 $ 140,020
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 780 0.22 0.79 $ 63.65 $ 132,390
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 760 0.36 1.31 $ 57.48 $ 119,550
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 700 0.26 0.96 $ 75.31 $ 156,650


Map of location quotient of optometrists by area, May 2021


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

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Carbondale-Marion, IL 50 0.89 3.23 $ 57.84 $ 120,320
Erie, PA 90 0.82 2.97 $ 45.10 $ 93,810
Rocky Mount, NC 40 0.81 2.95 $ 64.61 $ 134,390
Dothan, AL 40 0.71 2.57 $ 80.26 $ 166,950
Wausau, WI 50 0.68 2.49 $ 63.87 $ 132,850
Albany, GA 40 0.62 2.26 $ 58.40 $ 121,470
Redding, CA 40 0.61 2.22 $ 53.87 $ 112,050
Medford, OR 50 0.56 2.04 $ 71.67 $ 149,070
Wilmington, NC 70 0.56 2.03 $ 95.37 $ 198,370
Pittsburgh, PA 560 0.54 1.97 $ 55.14 $ 114,690


Map of annual mean wages of optometrists by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Optometrists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Wilmington, NC 70 0.56 2.03 $ 95.37 $ 198,370
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 120 0.23 0.83 $ 82.78 $ 172,190
Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI 40 0.33 1.18 $ 81.32 $ 169,140
Dothan, AL 40 0.71 2.57 $ 80.26 $ 166,950
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 120 0.31 1.14 $ 78.65 $ 163,590
Columbia, MO 40 0.39 1.43 $ 78.31 $ 162,870
St. Louis, MO-IL 480 0.38 1.37 $ 75.59 $ 157,230
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 700 0.26 0.96 $ 75.31 $ 156,650
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 40 0.24 0.87 $ 74.07 $ 154,070
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 360 0.36 1.31 $ 72.54 $ 150,890

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Optometrists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 100 0.28 1.02 $ 51.35 $ 106,820
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 90 0.47 1.69 $ 66.19 $ 137,680
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 80 0.39 1.43 $ 53.42 $ 111,120
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 80 0.40 1.45 $ 55.90 $ 116,270
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 70 0.39 1.42 $ 51.79 $ 107,730

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Optometrists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 40 0.50 1.81 $ 71.26 $ 148,210
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 50 0.48 1.76 $ 52.84 $ 109,910
Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area 50 0.48 1.74 $ 59.42 $ 123,590
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 90 0.47 1.69 $ 66.19 $ 137,680
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 70 0.46 1.66 $ 58.37 $ 121,400

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Optometrists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 40 0.18 0.64 $ 90.30 $ 187,820
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 40 0.50 1.81 $ 71.26 $ 148,210
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area 50 0.32 1.15 $ 69.95 $ 145,490
Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 40 0.24 0.89 $ 66.88 $ 139,110
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 90 0.47 1.69 $ 66.19 $ 137,680


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022