Optometrists · New York

Optometrists Salary in New York

Optometrists in New York earn a median annual wage of $161,140 —18.0% above the national median of $136,570. That ranks NY #5 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$161,140
Median hourly
$77.47
Entry level (P10)
$95,460
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$203,040
90th percentile
Employment
2,390
0.2 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+18.0%
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
$95,460
$127,900
$161,140
$175,740
$95,460$161,140$203,040
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $161,140.

Employment concentration (0.90×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for optometrists

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. New York 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 New York

Occupations in the same job family, compared within New York.

OccupationNew York medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$109,440$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$67,180$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$43,930$45,750
Physicians, All Other$242,500$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$97,280$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$153,510$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do optometrists make in New York?

The median annual wage for optometrists in New York is $161,140, or $77.47 per hour. That is 18.0% above the national median of $136,570.

What is the entry-level optometrists salary in New York?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $95,460 per year ($45.89/hour). The 25th percentile is $127,900.

How many people work as optometrists in New York?

About 2,390 people work in this occupation in New York, or 0.2 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is New York a good state for optometrists?

New York ranks #5 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (0.90x) 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