U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsDiagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system. Examine eyes and visual system, diagnose problems or impairments, prescribe corrective lenses, and provide treatment. May prescribe therapeutic drugs to treat specific eye conditions. Ophthalmologists are included in "Physicians and Surgeons, All Other" (29-1069).
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29,180 | 2.8 % | $52.80 | $109,810 | 1.4 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $25.28 | $36.11 | $47.03 | $61.77 | $88.72 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $52,590 | $75,100 | $97,820 | $128,480 | $184,530 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 17,530 | 2.44 | $51.85 | $107,860 |
| Offices of Physicians | 5,820 | 0.25 | $61.24 | $127,380 |
| Health and Personal Care Stores | 3,550 | 0.35 | $48.83 | $101,560 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 640 | 0.10 | $54.55 | $113,470 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 490 | 0.02 | $38.34 | $79,740 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 17,530 | 2.44 | $51.85 | $107,860 |
| Health and Personal Care Stores | 3,550 | 0.35 | $48.83 | $101,560 |
| Offices of Physicians | 5,820 | 0.25 | $61.24 | $127,380 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 640 | 0.10 | $54.55 | $113,470 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 390 | 0.02 | $32.02 | $66,600 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians | 5,820 | 0.25 | $61.24 | $127,380 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 640 | 0.10 | $54.55 | $113,470 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 17,530 | 2.44 | $51.85 | $107,860 |
| Department Stores | (8) | (8) | $50.86 | $105,790 |
| Health and Personal Care Stores | 3,550 | 0.35 | $48.83 | $101,560 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 3,550 | 0.25 | 1.11 | $49.20 | $102,330 |
| New York | 2,140 | 0.25 | 1.12 | $56.58 | $117,690 |
| Texas | 2,110 | 0.20 | 0.89 | $46.06 | $95,810 |
| Illinois | 1,490 | 0.26 | 1.18 | $52.21 | $108,590 |
| Florida | 1,320 | 0.18 | 0.81 | $61.97 | $128,890 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 330 | 0.55 | 2.47 | $52.42 | $109,030 |
| North Dakota | 180 | 0.45 | 2.00 | $56.74 | $118,020 |
| Oklahoma | 590 | 0.38 | 1.71 | $49.79 | $103,570 |
| South Dakota | 140 | 0.36 | 1.59 | $66.58 | $138,480 |
| Montana | 160 | 0.36 | 1.62 | $42.11 | $87,580 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 40 | 0.11 | 0.51 | $76.96 | $160,080 |
| Connecticut | 350 | 0.22 | 0.97 | $74.38 | $154,710 |
| North Carolina | 840 | 0.22 | 0.97 | $68.66 | $142,800 |
| South Dakota | 140 | 0.36 | 1.59 | $66.58 | $138,480 |
| South Carolina | 330 | 0.18 | 0.82 | $62.24 | $129,460 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 1,230 | 0.24 | 1.06 | $58.56 | $121,800 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 980 | 0.25 | 1.13 | $49.49 | $102,940 |
| Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division | 940 | 0.26 | 1.15 | $51.92 | $107,990 |
| Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | 860 | 0.33 | 1.45 | $38.53 | $80,140 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 580 | 0.25 | 1.11 | $60.20 | $125,210 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 480 | 0.27 | 1.23 | $41.01 | $85,310 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA | 460 | 0.20 | 0.91 | $55.31 | $115,050 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 440 | 0.39 | 1.74 | $47.97 | $99,770 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division | 430 | 0.25 | 1.12 | $52.72 | $109,650 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 420 | 0.44 | 1.95 | $59.00 | $122,710 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury, CT | 40 | 0.65 | 2.88 | $59.66 | $124,080 |
| Jonesboro, AR | 30 | 0.63 | 2.81 | $41.37 | $86,060 |
| Honolulu, HI | 270 | 0.62 | 2.76 | $52.62 | $109,440 |
| Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY | 140 | 0.58 | 2.61 | $53.50 | $111,280 |
| Flint, MI | 70 | 0.57 | 2.54 | $47.92 | $99,670 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO | 120 | 0.57 | 2.56 | $34.32 | $71,390 |
| Dover, DE | 30 | 0.56 | 2.52 | $53.54 | $111,360 |
| Bismarck, ND | 40 | 0.54 | 2.43 | $62.23 | $129,440 |
| Holland-Grand Haven, MI | 50 | 0.53 | 2.35 | $35.75 | $74,350 |
| Billings, MT | 40 | 0.49 | 2.18 | $43.69 | $90,870 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | 30 | 0.36 | 1.63 | $96.64 | $201,010 |
| Fayetteville, NC | 60 | 0.45 | 2.01 | $95.35 | $198,340 |
| Toledo, OH | 30 | 0.11 | 0.47 | $91.05 | $189,390 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 40 | 0.21 | 0.94 | $84.68 | $176,130 |
| Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division | (8) | (8) | (8) | $81.80 | $170,140 |
| Sioux Falls, SD | 40 | 0.31 | 1.37 | $81.44 | $169,390 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 30 | 0.22 | 0.96 | $81.09 | $168,660 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 110 | 0.21 | 0.92 | $79.22 | $164,780 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 60 | 0.19 | 0.83 | $78.82 | $163,950 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | 140 | 0.33 | 1.48 | $78.72 | $163,730 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area | 160 | 0.42 | 1.88 | $48.90 | $101,710 |
| Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | 90 | 0.33 | 1.46 | $49.99 | $103,980 |
| South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | 80 | 0.57 | 2.53 | $49.60 | $103,170 |
| West Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | 80 | 0.46 | 2.07 | $46.56 | $96,850 |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 0.51 | 2.28 | $44.95 | $93,490 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.70 | 3.11 | $46.71 | $97,150 |
| Southcentral Idaho nonmetropolitan area | 40 | 0.59 | 2.62 | $36.83 | $76,600 |
| South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | 80 | 0.57 | 2.53 | $49.60 | $103,170 |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 0.51 | 2.28 | $44.95 | $93,490 |
| Northwestern Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.49 | 2.21 | (8) | (8) |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 30 | 0.19 | 0.84 | $97.02 | $201,810 |
| West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.27 | 1.19 | $89.07 | $185,270 |
| Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $83.13 | $172,910 |
| Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.23 | 1.03 | $82.03 | $170,620 |
| Eastern South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.36 | 1.63 | $81.78 | $170,100 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2012 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2012 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2012 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2012 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: March 29, 2013
