Optometrist.
Fargo.
$117,000
median salary, 13% below the national average
$89,000 to $142,000. Last updated August 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
The median Optometrist salary in Fargo is $117,000, 13% below the national average. Entry level starts near $89,000. Experienced professionals push past $142,000. Fargo has a surprisingly strong technology sector, home to companies like Microsoft's campus and a growing startup ecosystem tied to North Dakota State University. That spread is your negotiation window. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Optometrist in Fargo, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. BLS does not publish this occupation for this metro area, so the national published benchmark is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $136,570 for Optometrists (SOC 29-1041) across the United States, based on 42,790 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$74,870
25th percentile
$109,400
Median
$136,570
75th percentile
$165,120
90th percentile
$202,180
Workers surveyed
42,790
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$134,830
May 2025 release
$136,570
These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Optometrists (SOC 29-1041) rather than Optometrist specifically. The national range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 29-1041Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $105,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$76,000
to $94,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$99,000
to $123,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$129,000
to $152,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$146,000
to $181,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $25,000 to the total package.
Base
$117,000
Equity
$14,000
Bonus
$9,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $142,000
How Fargo compares.
Fargo, ND
$117,000
Cost of living: 15% below average
National Average
$135,000
Fargo is $18,000 below
Optometrist salary by city.
Salary by role in Fargo.
What you should know.
If you are interviewing for Optometrist roles in Fargo, here is what you are walking into. Fargo has a surprisingly strong technology sector, home to companies like Microsoft's campus and a growing startup ecosystem tied to North Dakota State University. The city's extremely low cost of living and emerging tech scene make it an increasingly attractive option for professionals seeking affordability. Practice ownership versus employment is the largest income differentiator for optometrists. States with expanded scope allowing therapeutic procedures and medical management increase earning potential. Optometrists specializing in ocular disease management, specialty contact lenses, or pediatric vision earn above those in routine refraction-only settings.
New associate optometrists start at $105,000 to $120,000 on base plus production models. Experienced ODs with strong patient loyalty earn $130,000 to $155,000 after five to seven years. Practice owners or partners in multi-doctor practices can reach $170,000 to $250,000 depending on revenue and overhead management. In Fargo, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 15% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. Employed optometrists typically receive production bonuses of 15 to 25% above a base salary guarantee. Benefits include vision and health insurance, CE allowances, malpractice coverage, and optical frame discounts. Practice owners retain higher gross income but manage significant overhead. And on the tax side: north Dakota has a very low income tax with a top rate of just 2.5%. Fargo has no city income tax. The minimal tax burden combined with low living costs creates excellent take home pay. When someone quotes you $117,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight willingness to work on site. Fargo tech employers struggle to recruit talent to the region and reward candidates who commit to living locally. The range for Optometrists in Fargo runs from $89,000 to $142,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Machine Learning Engineer in Fargo earns $118,000 (1% more)
- The highest-paying role in Fargo is CTO at $258,000
Common questions.
Optometrist salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Fargo.
Related salary pages
Jump to nearby roles and cities most relevant to Optometrists in Fargo.
Related tools.
Do you work as an optometrist in Fargo?
Your individual figure is never published. Submissions appear only as aggregate percentiles, and nothing is shown for a role and city until at least five people have reported. It is stored against your account, which is what keeps the dataset clean.
Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Optometrist Salary in Fargo, ND." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/optometrist/fargo
Want this data on your site? Embed the salary widget. One script tag, free forever.
Related tools