Optometrists · Maryland

Optometrists Salary in Maryland

Optometrists in Maryland earn a median annual wage of $165,840 —21.4% above the national median of $136,570. That ranks MD #2 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$165,840
Median hourly
$79.73
Entry level (P10)
$50,560
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$215,420
90th percentile
Employment
780
0.3 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+21.4%
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
$50,560
$81,780
$165,840
$201,810
$50,560$165,840$215,420
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $165,840.

Employment concentration (1.02×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for optometrists

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Maryland 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 Maryland

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Maryland.

OccupationMaryland medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$99,790$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$74,660$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$45,120$45,750
Physicians, All Other$212,080$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$63,690$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$131,110$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do optometrists make in Maryland?

The median annual wage for optometrists in Maryland is $165,840, or $79.73 per hour. That is 21.4% above the national median of $136,570.

What is the entry-level optometrists salary in Maryland?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $50,560 per year ($24.31/hour). The 25th percentile is $81,780.

How many people work as optometrists in Maryland?

About 780 people work in this occupation in Maryland, or 0.3 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Maryland a good state for optometrists?

Maryland ranks #2 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (1.02x) 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