Sort by any column. Employment is the number of optometrists OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
Optometrist Salary by State (2026)
Optometrists earn the most in Alaska at $170,310 a year and the least in Oklahoma at $97,350 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $136,570. All 52 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $170,310
- National median
- $136,570
- Lowest median
- $97,350
- States reporting
- 52
Alaska
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Oklahoma
of 54 OEWS areas
Top 5 states for Optometrists
- 1. Alaska$170,310 median · $166,385 adjusted · 60 employed
- 2. Maryland$165,840 median · $158,005 adjusted · 780 employed
- 3. North Carolina$161,560 median · $171,278 adjusted · 1,140 employed
- 4. Delaware$161,270 median · $161,580 adjusted · 190 employed
- 5. New York$161,140 median · $149,313 adjusted · 2,390 employed
Lowest-paying states for Optometrists
- 52. Oklahoma$97,350 median · $110,823 adjusted · 570 employed
- 51. South Dakota$102,320 median · $115,504 adjusted · 190 employed
- 50. Idaho$103,390 median · $108,269 adjusted · 160 employed
- 49. Montana$104,280 median · $110,180 adjusted · 140 employed
- 48. Mississippi$108,070 median · $124,286 adjusted · 240 employed
Optometrist salary in every state
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $170,310 | $134,480 | $203,510 | 60 | $166,385 |
| 2 | Maryland | $165,840 | $81,780 | $201,810 | 780 | $158,005 |
| 3 | North Carolina | $161,560 | $123,250 | $193,790 | 1,140 | $171,278 |
| 4 | Delaware | $161,270 | $107,880 | $175,750 | 190 | $161,580 |
| 5 | New York | $161,140 | $127,900 | $175,740 | 2,390 | $149,313 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $159,040 | $134,560 | $165,960 | 1,380 | $146,170 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $158,700 | $125,860 | $174,370 | 710 | $160,919 |
| 8 | Washington | $157,560 | $126,730 | $171,200 | 760 | $147,234 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $154,620 | $120,980 | $162,070 | 230 | $140,626 |
| 10 | Maine | $154,110 | $115,870 | $177,630 | 180 | $158,794 |
| 11 | Colorado | $152,000 | $110,020 | $169,190 | 880 | $147,498 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $151,730 | $130,480 | $166,920 | 950 | $143,470 |
| 13 | Florida | $151,670 | $122,730 | $167,270 | 2,350 | $146,663 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $150,340 | $133,420 | $157,760 | 490 | $145,102 |
| 15 | South Carolina | $145,950 | $93,980 | $163,510 | 480 | $155,682 |
| 16 | Illinois | $145,620 | $129,310 | $162,650 | 1,540 | $145,681 |
| 17 | Alabama | $145,090 | $104,730 | $166,870 | 460 | $163,347 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $144,660 | $109,260 | $178,060 | 130 | $156,878 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $139,720 | $113,620 | $171,280 | 790 | $148,488 |
| 20 | Kansas | $138,580 | $118,910 | $160,270 | 660 | $153,862 |
| 21 | Vermont | $137,290 | $127,010 | $165,380 | 90 | $140,152 |
| 22 | California | $136,300 | $122,960 | $166,300 | 6,890 | $123,103 |
| 23 | Michigan | $135,650 | $125,000 | $161,970 | 1,410 | $140,983 |
| 24 | Nevada | $135,650 | $101,030 | $175,380 | 430 | $135,678 |
| 25 | Indiana | $135,500 | $102,840 | $161,820 | 1,040 | $145,185 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $135,400 | $110,990 | $163,890 | 1,720 | $138,769 |
| 27 | Ohio | $134,850 | $93,560 | $163,050 | 1,300 | $145,353 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $134,840 | $113,030 | $163,070 | 50 | $122,692 |
| 29 | Rhode Island | $134,520 | $114,090 | $167,930 | 250 | $131,521 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $134,170 | $63,510 | $160,150 | 660 | $146,043 |
| 31 | Missouri | $133,810 | $103,720 | $159,870 | 630 | $147,340 |
| 32 | Puerto Rico | $132,790 | $78,000 | $168,210 | 280 | N/A |
| 33 | North Dakota | $132,110 | $109,990 | $151,970 | 140 | $148,507 |
| 34 | Oregon | $132,020 | $102,030 | $143,500 | 560 | $127,727 |
| 35 | Virginia | $131,570 | $106,900 | $163,890 | 1,110 | $130,133 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $128,860 | $97,290 | $168,030 | 430 | $142,925 |
| 37 | Georgia | $128,830 | $104,850 | $159,140 | 870 | $133,790 |
| 38 | Texas | $126,000 | $101,700 | $155,090 | 4,110 | $129,821 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | $125,560 | $117,580 | $155,580 | 210 | $120,540 |
| 40 | Iowa | $125,380 | $90,330 | $140,630 | 450 | $142,864 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $125,040 | $76,020 | $162,760 | 340 | $138,775 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $124,470 | $84,140 | $147,590 | 320 | $143,173 |
| 43 | Arizona | $122,250 | $104,480 | $165,030 | 1,080 | $121,428 |
| 44 | Utah | $119,070 | $50,040 | $160,330 | 380 | $120,438 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $118,060 | $101,270 | $148,030 | 250 | $133,844 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $118,010 | $98,710 | $161,820 | 150 | $131,859 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $111,400 | $51,840 | $136,050 | 90 | $120,184 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $108,070 | $94,360 | $165,540 | 240 | $124,286 |
| 49 | Montana | $104,280 | $60,870 | $132,580 | 140 | $110,180 |
| 50 | Idaho | $103,390 | $64,610 | $155,100 | 160 | $108,269 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $102,320 | $94,350 | $133,200 | 190 | $115,504 |
| 52 | Oklahoma | $97,350 | $76,690 | $149,660 | 570 | $110,823 |
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Optometrists, that changes the ranking: Alaska leads on raw pay at $170,310, while North Carolina leads once prices are taken into account at $171,278.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Optometrist pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Optometrists the most?
Alaska reports the highest median wage for Optometrists at $170,310 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by Maryland ($165,840) and North Carolina ($161,560).
Which state pays Optometrists the least?
Oklahoma reports the lowest median for Optometrists at $97,350 a year, $72,960 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Optometrists earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts North Carolina first at $171,278 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $161,560. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
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