Optometrists pay range in Chico
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $98,850 a year or less, while the top 10% make $333,540 or more. The middle half of optometrists in Chico earn between $119,030 and $164,430.
- $99K10th
- $119K25th
- $140KMedian
- $164K75th
- $334K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $152,250 | $12,688 | $73.20 |
| Median | $139,890 | $11,658 | $67.25 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $119,030 | $9,919 | $57.23 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $164,430 | $13,702 | $79.05 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Optometrists salary after taxes in Chico
On the average salary of $152,250, a single filer in Chico takes home about $105,262 a year, or $8,772 a month and $4,049 every two weeks. Taxes take 31% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Chico a good place for optometrists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chico area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 101.2), so the average $152,250 buys what about $150,449 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Chico ($48,050). A typical home costs $401,581, or 2.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Optometrists salary in other California cities
Chico ranks 5th of 19 California metro areas for this job; Santa Rosa pays the most ($172,860).
- Santa Rosa$172,860
- Vallejo$167,000
- San Jose$156,180
- Sacramento$154,040
- Chico$152,250
- San Francisco$152,140
- Modesto$149,020
- Stockton$144,230
- San Diego$143,630
- Los Angeles$143,560
Highest-paying cities for optometrists
Roanoke, VA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($219,610).
- Roanoke, VA$219,610
- Wilmington, NC$204,680
- Trenton, NJ$186,160
- Fort Collins, CO$183,350
- Santa Rosa, CA$172,860
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Optometrists salary in Chico: questions
How much do optometrists make an hour in Chico?
$73.20 an hour on average, and $67.26 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level optometrists salary in Chico?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $98,850 a year and the 25th percentile is $119,030, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the optometrists take-home pay in Chico?
About $105,262 a year ($8,772 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $152,250. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do optometrists earn more in Chico than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($143,182).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-1041; area Chico, CA (17020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.7%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.48, this job is 1.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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