Optometrists pay range in Nashville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,170 a year or less, while the top 10% make $171,860 or more. The middle half of optometrists in Nashville earn between $63,510 and $162,390.
- $51K10th
- $64K25th
- $144KMedian
- $162K75th
- $172K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $122,420 | $10,202 | $58.86 |
| Median | $144,260 | $12,022 | $69.36 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $63,510 | $5,292 | $30.53 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $162,390 | $13,532 | $78.07 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Optometrists salary after taxes in Nashville
On the average salary of $122,420, a single filer in Nashville takes home about $94,940 a year, or $7,912 a month and $3,652 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Nashville a good place for optometrists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Nashville area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.3), so the average $122,420 buys what about $127,073 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Nashville ($50,390). A typical home costs $455,958, or 3.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Optometrists salary in other Tennessee cities
Nashville ranks 3rd 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 Nashville: questions
How much do optometrists make an hour in Nashville?
$58.86 an hour on average, and $69.36 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level optometrists salary in Nashville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,170 a year and the 25th percentile is $63,510, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the optometrists take-home pay in Nashville?
About $94,940 a year ($7,912 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $122,420. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do optometrists earn more in Nashville than elsewhere?
The average here is 15% 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN (34980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 9.6%.
- 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 0.58, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.58).
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