Optometrists · Illinois

Optometrists Salary in Illinois

Optometrists in Illinois earn a median annual wage of $145,620 —6.6% above the national median of $136,570. That ranks IL #16 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$145,620
Median hourly
$70.01
Entry level (P10)
$93,350
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$190,620
90th percentile
Employment
1,540
0.3 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+6.6%
U.S. $136,570

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$93,350
$129,310
$145,620
$162,650
$93,350$145,620$190,620
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $145,620.

Employment concentration (0.92×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for optometrists

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Illinois is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Alaska$170,310$81.88600.67
2Maryland$165,840$79.737801.02
3North Carolina$161,560$77.671,1400.84
4Delaware$161,270$77.541901.39
5New York$161,140$77.472,3900.90
6New Jersey$159,040$76.461,3801.17
7Minnesota$158,700$76.307100.88
8Washington$157,560$75.757600.78
9Hawaii$154,620$74.342301.32
10Maine$154,110$74.091801.02

Related occupations in Illinois

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Illinois.

OccupationIllinois medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$95,990$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$75,000$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$46,650$45,750
Physicians, All Other$132,540$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$71,950$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$130,680$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do optometrists make in Illinois?

The median annual wage for optometrists in Illinois is $145,620, or $70.01 per hour. That is 6.6% above the national median of $136,570.

What is the entry-level optometrists salary in Illinois?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $93,350 per year ($44.88/hour). The 25th percentile is $129,310.

How many people work as optometrists in Illinois?

About 1,540 people work in this occupation in Illinois, or 0.3 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Illinois a good state for optometrists?

Illinois ranks #16 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (0.92x) is close to the national average.

Which state pays optometrists the most?

Alaska has the highest median wage at $170,310 per year, followed by Maryland ($165,840) and North Carolina ($161,560).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes