Ophthalmologist who diagnoses and treats diseases of the retina and vitreous, such as macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease and retinal detachment. Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2026 puts typical pay at $446,000 a year (2025). BLS does not publish separate figures for ophthalmologists, except pediatric; it counts them within ophthalmologist, except pediatric (SOC 29-1241), whose median pay is $300,080 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
- SOC 29-1241
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Retina Specialist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $300,080a year, or $144.27/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $100KTop 10% $490K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.5%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4.5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4.5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2009,700 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20259.7K
- Projected 203510.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 9.7K Projected 2035 10.2K - Typical education
- Doctorateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Certificate9.9%
- Post-bacc certificate14%
- Professional degree14%
- Doctorate20%
- Post-doctoral training42.1%
Highest education held by ophthalmologists, except pediatric Segment Value Certificate 9.9% Post-bacc certificate 14% Professional degree 14% Doctorate 20% Post-doctoral training 42.1%
Also advertised as: Vitreoretinal Surgeon, Retina Surgeon, Retinal Specialist, Medical Retina Specialist.
Pay
How much do Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric make?
Industry-reported pay
$446,000
Average total annual compensation (salary, bonus and profit sharing), full-time US physicians in ophthalmology, the narrowest published survey group that includes retina specialists.
Source: Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2026, 2025 (published compensation survey). This is not a BLS figure: BLS counts ophthalmologists, except pediatric within ophthalmologist, except pediatric, whose pay is shown below. Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2026 · The DO: What physicians are getting paid in 2026 (Medscape 2026 specialty figures) · Doximity Physician Compensation Report 2025
Every retina specialist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$300,080
Middle half earn $173,650 to $421,530
- 10th
- $100,180
- 25th
- $173,650
- 75th
- $421,530
- 90th
- $489,710
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $100,180 |
| 25th | $173,650 |
| Median | $300,080 |
| 75th | $421,530 |
| 90th | $489,710 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $300,080
- Median hourly wage
- $144.27/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $304,650
- People employed
- 8,950
Versus all US occupations
At $300,080, Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric earn 489% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $249,100 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $102,760, this is 192% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $489,710 or more while the bottom 10% earn $100,180, a gap of 4.9×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 98% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Rhode Island posts the highest raw median ($450,370), but once local prices are taken into account Iowa leads at $449,967 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Rhode Island | $450,370 | $440,330 | 180 |
| 2New Hampshire | $404,330 | $388,163 | 50 |
| 3California | $400,150 | $361,407 | 820 |
| 4Florida | $399,440 | $386,253 | 580 |
| 5Iowa | $394,900 | $449,967 | 90 |
| 6Georgia | $382,920 | $397,661 | 120 |
| 7Minnesota | $372,200 | $377,404 | 180 |
| 8New York | $360,050 | $333,624 | 960 |
| 9Nevada | $345,600 | $345,673 | N/A |
| 10Maine | $337,850 | $348,120 | 90 |
Job outlook
Is Retina Specialist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +4.5% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | +4.5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric to change 4.5% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 200 openings are projected each year, 2.1% of the 9,700 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Retina Specialist
After medical school and a clinical internship year, retina specialists complete a three-year ACGME-accredited ophthalmology residency and then a two-year vitreoretinal fellowship. Fellowships are matched through a national program and are competitive.
The American Board of Ophthalmology certifies ophthalmologists through written and oral exams; there is no separate retina board. The American Society of Retina Specialists and the Retina Society are the main professional organizations. Residents interested in retina usually pursue retina research and extra clinical time with retina faculty during ophthalmology residency to strengthen fellowship applications.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Doctoral or professional degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Internship/residency
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as ophthalmologists, except pediatric.
- Post-Doctoral Training42.1%
- Doctoral Degree20%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate14%
- First Professional Degree14%
- Post-Secondary Certificate9.9%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Post-Doctoral Training | 42.1% |
| Doctoral Degree | 20% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 14% |
| First Professional Degree | 14% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 9.9% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Retina Specialist do?
Retina specialists treat conditions at the back of the eye. A large share of their work is giving injections into the eye to treat wet macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema and retinal vein occlusions, often on a recurring schedule for years. They use lasers to seal retinal tears and treat abnormal blood vessels.
Vitreoretinal surgeons also operate to repair retinal detachments, remove scar tissue and blood from the vitreous gel, close macular holes and treat severe eye trauma and infection. They rely on detailed imaging such as optical coherence tomography and angiography, and they work with general ophthalmologists, optometrists and endocrinologists.
Day-to-day tasks
- Diagnose retinal disease with optical coherence tomography and angiography
- Give intravitreal injections for macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease
- Perform laser treatment for retinal tears and abnormal vessels
- Repair retinal detachments with vitrectomy, scleral buckle or gas bubble procedures
- Remove vitreous hemorrhage and scar tissue and close macular holes
- Treat eye trauma and severe intraocular infection
- Enroll patients in clinical trials of new retinal therapies
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Retina specialists work in private retina practices, multispecialty eye groups and academic centers. Clinic days are high volume with many injections, while surgery happens in hospital or outpatient operating rooms under a microscope. Call covers retinal detachments and eye trauma.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.3
- Critical Thinking4.3
- Active Listening4.1
- Writing4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Active Learning4.0
- Monitoring4.0
- Science3.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.3 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.3 |
| Active Listening | 4.1 |
| Writing | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 4.0 |
| Monitoring | 4.0 |
| Science | 3.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness4.0
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making4.0
- Service Orientation3.9
- Time Management3.9
- Coordination3.8
- Instructing3.8
- Persuasion3.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.9 |
| Time Management | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.8 |
| Instructing | 3.8 |
| Persuasion | 3.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Medical software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Electronic mail software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Retina Specialist?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IRS) built on O*NET's Ophthalmologist, Except Pediatric profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Retina Specialist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 6 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 5 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with teaching, helping and working directly with other people.
- Investigative6.2
- Social5.5
- Realistic4.8
- Conventional3.7
- Enterprising3.0
- Artistic1.7
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Retina Specialist
O*NET related occupations
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
More healthcare practitioners and technical careers
Median annual pay, with ophthalmologists, except pediatric highlighted
- Anesthesiologist$391,490
- Retina Specialist$300,080
- Physician Assistant$135,880
- Nurse Practitioner$132,300
- Physical Therapist$102,760
- Dental Hygienist$98,100
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer$96,590
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician$80,110
- Surgical Technologist$64,650
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 |
| Retina Specialist | $300,080 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 |
| Radiologic Technologist and Technician | $80,110 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Retina Specialist appears on
Questions
Retina Specialist: frequently asked questions
How much do Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric make?
Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2026 reports $446,000 (average total annual compensation (salary, bonus and profit sharing), full-time US physicians in ophthalmology, the narrowest published survey group that includes retina specialists, 2025). BLS does not publish a separate wage for ophthalmologists, except pediatric. It counts them within ophthalmologist, except pediatric, whose median pay is $300,080 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $173,650 and $421,530, and the top 10% earn $489,710 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Retina Specialist?
Yes, and beyond a bachelor's: BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry requirement for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric. BLS also lists internship/residency as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 42.1% hold post-doctoral training.
Is Retina Specialist a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4.5% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Retina Specialist do?
Retina specialists treat conditions at the back of the eye. A typical task: diagnose retinal disease with optical coherence tomography and angiography. Employers most often ask for Medical software, Spreadsheet software, Word processing software.
Which states pay Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric the most?
The highest state medians for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric are Rhode Island ($450,370), New Hampshire ($404,330), California ($400,150) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Iowa moves to the top at $449,967.
What personality type suits a Retina Specialist?
O*NET scores Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric highest on the Investigative, Social and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with teaching, helping and working directly with other people. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ISFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.