Optometrist.
New York.
$173,000
median salary, 28% above the national average
$132,000 to $210,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
New York is 28% more expensive than the national average. For Optometrists, that shakes out to a median of $173,000, with the full range spanning $132,000 to $210,000. Practice ownership versus employment is the largest income differentiator for optometrists. Know the range before you walk in. 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 New York, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $161,030 for Optometrists (SOC 29-1041) in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan area, based on 2,580 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$104,730
25th percentile
$130,000
Median
$161,030
75th percentile
$179,020
90th percentile
$203,050
Workers surveyed
2,580
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 New York range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such. New York is reported by BLS within the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan area.
View the BLS source for SOC 29-1041Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $156,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$112,000
to $138,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$147,000
to $182,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$190,000
to $225,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$216,000
to $268,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $38,000 to the total package.
Base
$173,000
Equity
$21,000
Bonus
$14,000
Signing
$3,000
Estimated total: $211,000
How New York compares.
New York, NY
$173,000
Cost of living: 28% above average
National Average
$135,000
New York is $38,000 above
Optometrist salary by city.
Salary by role in New York.
What you should know.
Here is what the Optometrist market actually looks like in New York. New York City remains one of the world's largest and most diverse job markets, with unmatched density in finance, media, and technology. The city's tech sector has grown rapidly, rivaling the Bay Area for venture funding and startup activity. Remote work has reshaped demand slightly, but employers still pay premiums for in office presence in Manhattan. 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 New York, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 28% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
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: new York State income tax rates reach 10.9%, and New York City adds a local income tax up to 3.876%. Combined with federal taxes, your effective rate can be among the highest nationally. When someone quotes you $173,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize your willingness to work from the office in Manhattan. Many NYC employers pay 10 to 15% more for in person roles compared to remote positions. The range for Optometrists in New York runs from $132,000 to $210,000. 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
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Common questions.
Optometrist salary in other cities.
Other salaries in New York.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Optometrist Salary in New York, NY." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/optometrist/new-york
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