The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) latest occupational employment data reported nearly 41,000 optometrists at work in the United States as of May 2024.  At that time, just over 6,000 optometrists were employed in the five-state Great Lakes region. BLS data shows the region to be a modestly weak one for optometrist pay.  Only one state in the region, Wisconsin, produced an annual mean wage level for optometrists that topped the national average. A deeper look into BLS data from May 2024 details the following about optometrist pay in the Great Lakes region:

Optometrist Pay in the Great Lakes Region

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
IL	1,670	$134,250	28th
IN	960	$133,060	30th
MI	1,330	$133,610	29th
OH	1,450	$131,550	34th
WI	750	$141,570	20th
U.S.	40,900	$137,190	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on September 16, 2025