The highest-paying states 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 of optometrists in those states are also shown in the table. As shown in the table, with an annual salary of $168,780, Alaska is the highest paying state for optometrists. It is followed by Minnesota (average annual salary $150,110). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in April 2023 [1]. For more salary information of optometrists in a specific state, use the links in the table.
| Rank | State | Average Salary i | Entry Level Salary i |
# of Empl. i |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $168,780 |
$62,400 | 110 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $150,110 |
$94,590 | 870 |
| 3 | New York | $142,400 |
$74,980 | 2,170 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $141,370 |
$99,990 | 830 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $140,000 |
$40,500 | 550 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $135,440 |
$26,530 | 70 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $135,420 |
$83,150 | 170 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $135,250 |
$78,450 | 1,000 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $135,250 |
$106,100 | 290 |
| 10 | Maryland | $134,070 |
$81,940 | 790 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $133,830 |
$82,640 | 730 |
| 12 | Virgin Islands | $133,450 |
$129,760 | 0 |
| 13 | Washington | $132,370 |
$74,060 | 800 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $131,320 |
$76,500 | 940 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $130,000 |
$61,390 | 1,580 |
| 16 | Vermont | $129,220 |
$82,960 | 80 |
| 17 | Colorado | $128,950 |
$64,430 | 690 |
| 18 | Michigan | $128,430 |
$80,290 | 1,220 |
| 19 | Georgia | $127,630 |
$83,570 | 1,000 |
| 20 | Ohio | $127,400 |
$69,140 | 1,710 |
| 21 | Iowa | $126,650 |
$60,370 | 600 |
| 22 | Maine | $126,340 |
$52,310 | 170 |
| 23 | California | $125,590 |
$76,510 | 7,750 |
| 24 | Oregon | $125,020 |
$77,100 | 620 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $122,420 |
$85,620 | 290 |
| 26 | Texas | $121,770 |
$57,750 | 2,720 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $121,380 |
$65,390 | 430 |
| 28 | Missouri | $120,910 |
$53,310 | 740 |
| 29 | Virginia | $120,740 |
$48,230 | 1,210 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $120,020 |
$76,670 | 290 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $120,000 |
$72,300 | 190 |
| 32 | Arizona | $119,080 |
$63,800 | 980 |
| 33 | Delaware | $118,860 |
$53,300 | 100 |
| 34 | Illinois | $115,590 |
$60,360 | 1,290 |
| 35 | Nevada | $111,710 |
$56,070 | 390 |
| 36 | Alabama | $110,830 |
$53,140 | 510 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $110,170 |
$57,060 | 270 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $109,050 |
$64,430 | 290 |
| 39 | Kansas | $107,820 |
$57,730 | 370 |
| 40 | District of Columbia | $106,350 |
$31,620 | 70 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $105,940 |
$31,990 | 150 |
| 42 | Indiana | $104,010 |
$57,630 | 910 |
| 43 | Florida | $103,910 |
$35,980 | 2,000 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $103,330 |
$88,700 | 210 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $102,890 |
$65,940 | 140 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $102,650 |
$49,200 | 210 |
| 47 | Montana | $100,230 |
$64,160 | 160 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $98,460 |
$34,880 | 460 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $98,330 |
$71,190 | 630 |
| 50 | Utah | $95,170 |
$50,550 | 340 |
| 51 | Idaho | $85,110 |
$48,290 | 140 |
| 52 | Oklahoma | $74,000 |
$26,950 | 500 |
| 53 | Puerto Rico | $47,310 |
$22,570 | 190 |