The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) latest occupational employment figures put optometrist employment at over 38,700 nationally as of May 2021.  At that time, an estimated 8,670 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 two states 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 ten best states in the nation for optometrist annual mean wage levels. A deeper review of BLS data from May 2021 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	80	$143,260	3rd
CA	6,730	$128,540	18th
HI	220	$138,480	6th
NV	390	$119,180	31st
OR	520	$130,060	16th
WA	730	$125,180	21st
U.S.	38,720	$125,440	-------

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

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on June 4, 2022