According to reports from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were almost 41,400 optometrists at work in the U.S. as of May 2023.  Optometrists mainly work in health practitioner office settings, although smaller numbers can be found working in personal care stores and outpatient care centers.  The BLS estimated that, as of May 2023, the national mean salary for an optometrist was $143,000 annually.  There was, however, wide variation in optometrist pay at the state level.  From BLS data as of May 2023, here were the ten best and worst states for optometrist pay based on annual mean wage levels:

The Best and Worst States for Optometrist Pay

Best Paying States
North Carolina	$171,170
Maryland	$166,770
Kentucky	$161,300
New Hampshire	$161,030
Vermont	$153,540
New York	$152,450
Texas	$152,060
Connecticut	$151,270
Arizona	$150,690
District of Columbia	$148,610

Worst Paying States
Nevada	$122,610
Nebraska	$118,120
Indiana	$117,600
Alabama	$115,970
Wyoming	$115,400
South Dakota	$115,290
South Carolina	$114,430
Missouri	$109,890
Oklahoma	$105,720
Idaho	$104,020

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

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on July 22, 2024