Optometrists pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $73,540 a year or less, while the top 10% make $209,530 or more. The middle half of optometrists in Los Angeles earn between $127,550 and $161,410.
- $74K10th
- $128K25th
- $139KMedian
- $161K75th
- $210K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $143,560 | $11,963 | $69.02 |
| Median | $138,940 | $11,578 | $66.80 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $127,550 | $10,629 | $61.32 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $161,410 | $13,451 | $77.60 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Optometrists salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $143,560, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $100,130 a year, or $8,344 a month and $3,851 every two weeks. Taxes take 30% 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 Los Angeles a good place for optometrists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $143,560 buys what about $126,411 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 6.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Optometrists salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 10th 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
Does this match what you are paid?
Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.
Share your pay anonymously
Optometrists salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do optometrists make an hour in Los Angeles?
$69.02 an hour on average, and $66.80 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level optometrists salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $73,540 a year and the 25th percentile is $127,550, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the optometrists take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $100,130 a year ($8,344 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $143,560. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do optometrists earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.7%.
- 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 1.37, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.