The most recent occupational employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that, as of May 2021, more than 38,700 optometrists were working in the United States.  At that time, New England accounted for an estimated 1,880 employed optometrists. BLS data shows the region to be a generally strong one for optometrist pay.  Almost three-fourths of the region's optometrists worked in a state where the optometrist annual mean wage level topped the national average for the profession.  This included Connecticut, where the annual mean wage level for optometrists was the highest in the nation. A deeper examination of BLS data from May 2021 reveals the following state-level details about optometrist pay in New England:

Optometrist Pay in New England

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
CT	430	$155,070	1st
MA	780	$130,600	14th
ME	190	$135,410	9th
NH	170	$124,910	23rd
RI	210	-------	-------
VT	100	$112,530	39th
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 18, 2022