Optometrists pay range in Chattanooga
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,190 a year or less, while the top 10% make $163,770 or more. The middle half of optometrists in Chattanooga earn between $58,860 and $156,270.
- $47K10th
- $59K25th
- $127KMedian
- $156K75th
- $164K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $118,960 | $9,913 | $57.19 |
| Median | $126,600 | $10,550 | $60.87 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $58,860 | $4,905 | $28.30 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $156,270 | $13,022 | $75.13 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Optometrists salary after taxes in Chattanooga
On the average salary of $118,960, a single filer in Chattanooga takes home about $92,518 a year, or $7,710 a month and $3,558 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
The Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in TN | $92,518 | $7,710 |
| Working in GA | $87,331 | $7,278 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Chattanooga a good place for optometrists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chattanooga area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.5), so the average $118,960 buys what about $130,062 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Chattanooga ($46,700). A typical home costs $326,370, or 2.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Optometrists salary in other Tennessee cities
Chattanooga ranks 4th of 7 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Kingsport pays the most ($141,560).
- Kingsport$141,560
- Clarksville$124,270
- Nashville$122,420
- Chattanooga$118,960
- Memphis$118,450
- Knoxville$116,860
- Johnson City$109,320
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 Chattanooga: questions
How much do optometrists make an hour in Chattanooga?
$57.19 an hour on average, and $60.87 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level optometrists salary in Chattanooga?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,190 a year and the 25th percentile is $58,860, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the optometrists take-home pay in Chattanooga?
About $92,518 a year ($7,710 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $118,960. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do optometrists earn more in Chattanooga than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% less 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA (16860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 7.0%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.86, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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