Optometrists pay range in Winston-Salem
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $96,100 a year or less, while the top 10% make $201,130 or more. The middle half of optometrists in Winston-Salem earn between $126,980 and $188,520.
- $96K10th
- $127K25th
- $163KMedian
- $189K75th
- $201K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $157,630 | $13,136 | $75.78 |
| Median | $162,540 | $13,545 | $78.14 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $126,980 | $10,582 | $61.05 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $188,520 | $15,710 | $90.63 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Optometrists salary after taxes in Winston-Salem
On the average salary of $157,630, a single filer in Winston-Salem takes home about $113,225 a year, or $9,435 a month and $4,355 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Winston-Salem a good place for optometrists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Winston-Salem area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.0), so the average $157,630 buys what about $171,257 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Winston-Salem ($46,380). A typical home costs $283,871, or 1.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Optometrists salary in other North Carolina cities
Winston-Salem ranks 5th of 7 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Wilmington pays the most ($204,680).
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 Winston-Salem: questions
How much do optometrists make an hour in Winston-Salem?
$75.78 an hour on average, and $78.14 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level optometrists salary in Winston-Salem?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $96,100 a year and the 25th percentile is $126,980, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the optometrists take-home pay in Winston-Salem?
About $113,225 a year ($9,435 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $157,630.
Do optometrists earn more in Winston-Salem than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% 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 Winston-Salem, NC (49180). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.8%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.96, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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