The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) latest occupational employment figures put optometrist employment at over 40,900 nationally as of May 2024.  At that time, an estimated 8,940 optometrists were working in the six-state Far Western U.S. region. BLS data shows the region to be a relatively good one for optometrist pay, with only one state in the region recording an annual mean wage level for optometrists that was below the national average for the profession.  The region's two smallest population states, Alaska and Hawaii, ranked among the fifteen best states in the nation for optometrist annual mean wage levels. A deeper review of BLS data from May 2024 provides the following state-level details about optometrist pay in the Far Western U.S. region:

Optometrist Pay in the Far Western U.S.

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
AK	70	$154,110	10th
CA	6,790	$142,850	17th
HI	230	$145,060	14th
NV	360	$138,650	23rd
OR	560	$122,340	43rd
WA	930	$159,450	2nd
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 August 30, 2025