This gap decreased by 32% over the last year, with men in this experience bracket making 7% more in 2021 than 2020 and women making 34% more, for a closing of the divide. How to become an Optometrist. North Carolina pays Optometrists the most in the United States, with an average salary of $177,597 per year, or $85.38 per hour. Top-level optometrist earnings begin at: $ 81.65 per hour $ 169,830 per year 75 th percentile Senior-level optometrist earnings begin at: $ 67.19 per hour $ 139,760 per year 50 th percentile Mid-level optometrist earnings begin at: $ 61.63 per hour $ 128,190 per year 25 th percentile Junior-level optometrist earnings begin at: $ 49.10 per hour Those who didnt fare as well financially named COVID-19 as the top culprit. Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, Top Picks, One Screen, Multi-Screen, and Maps, Industry Finder from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Completing a residency in optometry is a unique and valuable experience that can enhance career opportunities in different optometry practice areas such as ocular disease, pediatric optometry, vision therapy and brain injury rehabilitation Residencies are optional and are typically one year in duration and are located within hospitals, military Out of our respondents, 70.9% expect their salary to increase again this year. at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/optometrists.htm (visited February 14, 2023). Title: Pay table optometrist 2021 Author: Fry, Jennifer \(IHS/HQ\) . The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area. All rights reserved. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code. To learn more, read our Privacy Policy and Editorial Policy pages. The estimated additional pay is $45,918 per year. The average total compensation of optometrists who were owner/partners in 2012 was reported as $141,206. Check out our open positions! Male optometrists made $193,179, down 9% from last year, and women made $146,103, up 8%, to turn the tables. 46,952 / yr. programs also must take the Optometry Admission Test (OAT), a computerized exam that tests applicants in four subject areas: science, reading comprehension, physics, and quantitative reasoning. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses and address health maintenance. information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. ? Optometrists make $187,654 per year on average, or $90.22 per hour, in the United States. make sure you're on a federal government site. Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks. Despite the growing pains that come from continuing to adjust to the new COVID-19 era, the majority of optometrists appeared to be focusing on the positives, with 70% reporting feeling satisfied or very satisfied with their income this year (up from 54% in 2020). Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers: Take just three simple steps below to generate your own personalized salary report. Optometrists must evaluate the results of a variety of diagnostic tests and decide on the best course of treatment for a patient. The reason = pay is so low is two things: 1. too many Optometry graduates for what was always a niche field. For a list of all areas with employment in Optometrists, see the Create Customized Tables function. Optometrist Salary Information and Career Info, How long you have worked as an optometrist, Entry-level (less than 1 year) optometrist: $100,000, More than 20 years of experience: $125,000, Knowing additional languages to be able to work with a wider range of patients. States within the same region were at both the top and the bottom of our lists. This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of optometrists. Average attention to. Optometrists must ensure that patients receive appropriate treatment and that medications and prescriptions are accurate. O.D. Of those who are employed, 32% work for another OD or MD, 23% for a commercial firm, 23% for a hospital or VA, 10% for an HMO or PPO, 7% for a university and 5% for another institution. An optometrist who is just starting out can expect to earn around $100,000 or less per year, while an optometrist with over two decades of experience can earn over $125,000 per year. With COVID-19 now an established part of everyday life, optometry like every other profession was forced to adjust and find its way in the new normalor be left behind. Optometrist salaries vary somewhat by state. See Full Salary Details How Much Do. The offices of other health professionals employed the majority of optometrists, and these employers paid the optometrists an average salary of $114,260. On average, an optometrist in the U.S. makes $124,300 per year, according to 2021 statistics. Men with zero to 10 years of experience in the field reported an average income of $179,721 in 2021, 24% more than female entry-level workers who made $144,536. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, Employment projections data for optometrists, 2021-31. This tab may also describe opportunities for part-time work, the amount and type of travel required, any safety equipment that is used, and the risk of injury that workers may face. . All LASIK savings offers are valid only on bladeless custom LASIK based off the LASIK procedure book price. Other OEWS estimates and related information: May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Division of Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Top Picks, One Screen, Multi-Screen, and Maps, Industry Finder from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation), Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation), Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area, Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area. Weve gathered some other interesting data regarding practice setting: When it comes to salary, time spent in the optometry field plays a significant role. The How to Become One tab describes how to prepare for a job in the occupation. The highest paying states for optometrists in 2021 are California, New York, and Texas, while the lowest paying states are Mississippi, Arkansas, and West Virginia. Because vision problems tend to occur more frequently later in life, an aging population will lead to demand for optometrists. Optometrists earn an average of $119,980 a year in. Here is how you know. Want a new opportunity where you can earn a higher salary? Employment numbers have been increasing and, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment of optometrists is projected to increase faster than average, with approximately 4,000 optometrist jobs being added from 2018 to 2028, an increase of roughly 10%. As of February 2021, the average optometrist salary in the United States was just under $130,000 per year. However, this is actually a step in the right direction; over 2021, the gender gap closed to an all time low of 14%. Optometrist - Castletown Bupa HI Pty Ltd 1d ago Townsville, Northern QLD Healthcare & Medical Optical Salary package up to $150 000 + Relocation package Generous Discounts on Bupa's health insurance Permanent or FIFO opportunities available Opportunity open to Experienced or Graduate Optometrists Save Minimum Interest Charge is $2. Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry. states, The following states have the lowest average wages for this career. How Much Do Optometrist Jobs Pay per Year? Salary estimation for Optometrist at companies like : University optometrists reported an annual income of $117,940, 2% less than last year. First, the good news. Examines patient's eyes to detect and diagnose vision problems, diseases, and other conditions, such as diabetes or hypertension. Want help with your hiring? Both groups fared especially well, considering their take-homes dipped last year by as much as 30% for those putting in part-time hours. Optometrists typically need an O.D. The bottom-10 states where optometrists make the least money are a geographically mixed, though several of the two worst-paying states can be found in the U.S. West region, as designated by the Census Bureau. Area Optometrist (Training & Development) Michael Page 3.7 practicing optometry within community health clinic settings, significant difference between salaries for male and female ODs. They prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses as needed. Editors note: As always, be mindful that while we ask the same survey questions, the responses we compare from year to year come from different individuals, making trend analysis tricky, especially among a smaller cohort. Dental Chair Market Size, Share, Growth, Competitive Insight And Key Drivers, Research Report 2021 - 2030 Arpita Gupta 1mo Symptoms of High Cholesterol The increasing prevalence of refractive errors, particularly myopia, among the general population is another key source of demand for optometrists as they will be needed to diagnose and treat these common eye problems. It's easy. They combine classroom learning and supervised clinical experience. Optometrists spend most of their time examining patients, so they must be at ease interacting with patients and must make them feel comfortable during treatment. 3 Alaska has the fewest, with only 70 optometrists; No. (3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. In South Dakota, the decline was even worse, with the average optometrist salary plummeting by 37.7%, from $154,890 in 2013 down to $96,540 in 2018. With the majority of survey respondents indicating that their goal remains to continue making more money in the years to come, theyve outlined ideas to increase their profitability. Average pay by level of experience can be as follows: While it is possible to earn more earlier on, it is fair to expect that your salary will steadily increase the longer you work as an optometrist. In the worst-paying state for optometrists, Utah, the average salary is nearly 38% less than the U.S. average salary. Clermont, FL, Optometrist - Full Time- Full-Scope Care (Great Growth Position) - Ft. Walton, FL, Private practice - Examine eyes and visual system, diagnose problems or impairments, prescribe corrective lenses, and provide treatment. 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