National Salary Info » Optometrists

Highest Paying Industries for Optometrists

The top 36 highest paying industries for optometrists (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $135,490, general medical and surgical hospitals - privately owned is the highest paying industry for optometrists. It is followed by general medical and surgical hospitals industry (average annual salary $128,270). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of optometrists in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 36 Highest Paying Industries for Optometrists

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Privately owned	$135,490	$63,540	230
2	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	$128,270	$63,150	270
3	Hospitals - Privately owned	$123,500	$55,630	300
4	Offices of Physicians	$120,250	$68,980	6,110
5	Hospitals (including private, state, and local government hospitals)	$119,150	$56,710	350
6	Temporary Help Services	$116,630	$58,730	60
7	Outpatient Care Centers	$112,490	$49,580	730
8	Employment Services	$111,880	$52,220	100
9	Administrative and Support Services	$111,880	$52,220	100
10	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$111,880	$52,220	100
11	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - State government owned	$109,150	$38,350	360
12	Educational Services - State government owned	$108,990	$38,380	360
13	State government, including schools and hospitals	$108,550	$38,740	380
14	Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools	$107,180	$36,320	400
15	Educational Services	$106,580	$36,410	410
16	General Merchandise Stores	$104,990	$56,860	140
17	Health Care and Social Assistance	$103,330	$52,970	26,800
18	Ambulatory Health Care Services	$103,120	$52,950	26,420
19	Social Assistance	$102,120	$36,350	30
20	Retail Trade	$100,810	$54,880	4,800
21	Health and Personal Care Stores	$100,710	$54,860	4,660
22	Offices of Optometrists	$98,160	$50,150	19,510
23	Offices of Other Health Practitioners	$98,160	$50,110	19,550
24	Offices of All Other Health Practitioners	$96,950	$31,880	40
25	Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals	$94,910	$43,290	70
26	Specialty hospitals - Privately owned	$93,830	$42,840	70
27	Department Stores	$91,950	$43,560	n/a
28	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$91,080	$80,830	n/a
29	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$90,980	$81,180	n/a
30	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$90,350	$34,100	n/a
31	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$89,280	$32,760	n/a
32	Federal, State, and Local Government	$89,280	$32,760	n/a
33	Federal government, including USPS	$62,970	$31,960	440
34	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$62,970	$31,960	440
35	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$39,220	$32,610	50
36	Educational Services - Privately owned	$39,220	$32,610	50