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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2016

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:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
36,430 2.5 % $56.53 $117,580 1.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $25.39 $39.17 $51.03 $64.99 $92.33
Annual Wage (2) $52,810 $81,480 $106,140 $135,180 $192,050

Industry profile for this occupation:

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 21,500 2.57 $54.93 $114,260
Offices of Physicians 6,210 0.25 $68.47 $142,420
Health and Personal Care Stores 5,580 0.53 $53.96 $112,240
Outpatient Care Centers 960 0.11 $60.84 $126,560
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 500 0.02 $32.73 $68,070

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 21,500 2.57 $54.93 $114,260
Health and Personal Care Stores 5,580 0.53 $53.96 $112,240
Offices of Physicians 6,210 0.25 $68.47 $142,420
Outpatient Care Centers 960 0.11 $60.84 $126,560
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 500 0.02 $32.73 $68,070

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Physicians 6,210 0.25 $68.47 $142,420
Outpatient Care Centers 960 0.11 $60.84 $126,560
Employment Services 130 (7) $56.75 $118,040
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 21,500 2.57 $54.93 $114,260
Health and Personal Care Stores 5,580 0.53 $53.96 $112,240

Geographic profile for this occupation:

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 3,750 0.23 0.91 $54.81 $114,000
New York 2,690 0.30 1.14 $62.98 $131,010
Illinois 2,490 0.42 1.63 $50.21 $104,430
Texas 2,410 0.21 0.79 $53.26 $110,790
Florida 1,940 0.24 0.91 $53.20 $110,650




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)
North Dakota 190 0.44 1.71 $57.84 $120,310
Illinois 2,490 0.42 1.63 $50.21 $104,430
Oklahoma 660 0.41 1.59 $65.74 $136,740
Rhode Island 180 0.37 1.43 $44.75 $93,080
Nebraska 350 0.37 1.41 $51.39 $106,880




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Connecticut 220 0.13 0.51 $92.73 $192,870
Alaska 70 0.22 0.87 $90.29 $187,800
Maryland 600 0.23 0.88 $68.21 $141,870
Oklahoma 660 0.41 1.59 $65.74 $136,740
Massachusetts 1,020 0.29 1.13 $65.28 $135,780





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-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 1,960 0.30 1.15 $60.32 $125,470
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division 1,810 0.50 1.91 $49.07 $102,070
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 1,060 0.25 0.97 $52.65 $109,510
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 850 0.34 1.32 $61.69 $128,320
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 740 0.25 0.97 $43.71 $90,910
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 650 0.46 1.76 $64.91 $135,020
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 600 0.24 0.91 $48.16 $100,160
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Division 580 0.32 1.25 $66.76 $138,860
Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY Metropolitan Division 540 0.42 1.62 $61.64 $128,220
Pittsburgh, PA 520 0.46 1.77 $54.42 $113,200




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)
Leominster-Gardner, MA 40 0.86 3.31 $68.53 $142,540
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 130 0.66 2.55 $92.85 $193,140
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 90 0.64 2.48 $52.92 $110,080
Springfield, IL 70 0.63 2.42 $60.06 $124,930
Flint, MI 80 0.63 2.42 $63.93 $132,970
Altoona, PA 40 0.61 2.33 $44.95 $93,490
Oklahoma City, OK 360 0.59 2.26 (8) (8)
Prescott, AZ 30 0.56 2.17 $44.15 $91,830
Florence, SC 40 0.52 2.01 (8) (8)
Kingston, NY 30 0.51 1.97 $52.90 $110,020