The most recent occupational employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that, as of May 2024, nearly 50,000 optometrists were working in the United States.  At that time, New England accounted for an estimated 2,220 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 New Hampshire, where the annual mean wage level for optometrists was the highest in the nation. A deeper examination of BLS data from May 2024 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	410	$154,780	8th
MA	1,120	$150,070	11th
ME	170	$158,880	4th
NH	200	$167,100	1st
RI	220	$144,670	15th
VT	100	$146,710	12th
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 October 10, 2025