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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018

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 "Physicians and Surgeons, All Other" (29-1069).

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
37,220 2.5 % $57.68 $119,980 1.1 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $27.64 $41.47 $53.75 $65.22 $90.46
Annual Wage (2) $57,480 $86,260 $111,790 $135,660 $188,160

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 22,060 2.43 $55.84 $116,150
Offices of Physicians 6,460 0.25 $65.90 $137,080
Health and Personal Care Stores 5,520 0.52 $57.09 $118,740
Outpatient Care Centers 980 0.11 $66.67 $138,660
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 630 0.01 $50.20 $104,420

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 22,060 2.43 $55.84 $116,150
Health and Personal Care Stores 5,520 0.52 $57.09 $118,740
Offices of Physicians 6,460 0.25 $65.90 $137,080
Outpatient Care Centers 980 0.11 $66.67 $138,660
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 520 0.03 $34.00 $70,720

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Outpatient Care Centers 980 0.11 $66.67 $138,660
Offices of Physicians 6,460 0.25 $65.90 $137,080
Management of Companies and Enterprises 50 (7) $60.67 $126,180
Health and Personal Care Stores 5,520 0.52 $57.09 $118,740
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 420 0.01 $56.10 $116,680

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

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





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 3,760 0.22 0.86 $56.34 $117,180
Texas 2,750 0.23 0.88 $59.58 $123,930
Illinois 2,300 0.38 1.49 $58.47 $121,610
New York 2,040 0.22 0.84 $60.01 $124,820
Michigan 1,590 0.37 1.43 $54.06 $112,440




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

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nebraska 530 0.55 2.12 $50.00 $104,010
Oklahoma 630 0.39 1.53 $52.55 $109,300
Kansas 520 0.38 1.48 $56.65 $117,840
Illinois 2,300 0.38 1.49 $58.47 $121,610
North Dakota 160 0.37 1.45 $84.18 $175,090




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Dakota 160 0.37 1.45 $84.18 $175,090
Vermont 90 0.31 1.20 $82.00 $170,550
Alaska 70 0.23 0.89 $79.64 $165,640
South Carolina 580 0.28 1.09 $68.41 $142,290
Massachusetts 1,200 0.34 1.30 $68.22 $141,890





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 2,360 0.25 0.97 $58.09 $120,830
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 1,870 0.40 1.57 $59.82 $124,430
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,240 0.20 0.79 $54.29 $112,930
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 990 0.36 1.40 $68.98 $143,490
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 920 0.29 1.15 $63.12 $131,300
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 810 0.27 1.05 $55.31 $115,040
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 800 0.22 0.87 $54.82 $114,020
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 730 0.37 1.44 $54.04 $112,400
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 680 0.35 1.35 $63.81 $132,730
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 640 0.24 0.93 $44.71 $92,990




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

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC 60 0.75 2.91 $78.33 $162,920
Waterbury, CT 50 0.72 2.80 $79.13 $164,580
Flint, MI 100 0.72 2.78 $47.35 $98,480
Altoona, PA 40 0.69 2.68 $62.99 $131,020
Albany, GA 40 0.67 2.62 $59.04 $122,800
St. George, UT 40 0.65 2.52 $56.26 $117,030
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 310 0.64 2.49 $50.55 $105,130
Dubuque, IA 40 0.62 2.42 $80.31 $167,040
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 30 0.61 2.37 $76.02 $158,120
Dothan, AL 40 0.61 2.37 (8) (8)