The average salary for an optometrist in California is around $136,300 per year.
Avg Salary
Optometrists earn an average yearly salary of $136,300.
Wages typically start from $99,890 and go up to $213,710.
81% above national average Updated in 2025
Optometrist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level optometrist earnings begin at:
$102.74 per hour
$213,710 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level optometrist earnings begin at:
$79.95 per hour
$166,300 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level optometrist earnings begin at:
$65.53 per hour
$136,300 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level optometrist earnings begin at:
$59.12 per hour
$122,960 per year
10th percentile
Starting level optometrist earnings begin at:
$48.02 per hour
$99,890 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Optometrist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma | $97,350 |
| Puerto Rico | $42,760 |
| Alaska | $170,310 |
| Maryland | $165,840 |
| North Carolina | $161,560 |
| Delaware | $161,270 |
| New York | $161,140 |
| New Jersey | $159,040 |
| Minnesota | $158,700 |
| Washington | $157,560 |
| Hawaii | $154,620 |
| Maine | $154,110 |
| Colorado | $152,000 |
| Massachusetts | $151,730 |
| Florida | $151,670 |
| Connecticut | $150,340 |
| South Carolina | $145,950 |
| Illinois | $145,620 |
| Alabama | $145,090 |
| New Mexico | $144,660 |
| Wisconsin | $139,720 |
| Kansas | $138,580 |
| Vermont | $137,290 |
| California | $136,300 |
| Michigan | $135,650 |
| Nevada | $135,650 |
| Indiana | $135,500 |
| Pennsylvania | $135,400 |
| Ohio | $134,850 |
| District of Columbia | $134,840 |
| Rhode Island | $134,520 |
| Tennessee | $134,170 |
| Missouri | $133,810 |
| North Dakota | $132,110 |
| Oregon | $132,020 |
| Virginia | $131,570 |
| Kentucky | $128,860 |
| Georgia | $128,830 |
| Texas | $126,000 |
| New Hampshire | $125,560 |
| Iowa | $125,380 |
| Nebraska | $125,040 |
| Arkansas | $124,470 |
| Arizona | $122,250 |
| Utah | $119,070 |
| Louisiana | $118,060 |
| West Virginia | $118,010 |
| Wyoming | $111,400 |
| Mississippi | $108,070 |
| Montana | $104,280 |
| Idaho | $103,390 |
| South Dakota | $102,320 |
How do optometrist salaries compare to similar careers?
Optometrists earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than health services managers but more than dental hygienists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Health services manager salary | $141K |
| Advanced practice registered nurse salary | $140K |
| Acute care nurse practitioner salary | $140K |
| Registered nurse salary | $140K |
| Clinical nurse specialist salary | $140K |
| Optometrist salary | $136K |
| Neuropsychologist salary | $158K |
| Biomedical engineer salary | $128K |
| Informatics nurse specialist salary | $128K |
| Dental hygienist salary | $125K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)