Optometrists pay range in La Crosse
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $110,530 a year or less, while the top 10% make $224,140 or more. The middle half of optometrists in La Crosse earn between $131,040 and $196,980.
- $111K10th
- $131K25th
- $176KMedian
- $197K75th
- $224K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $168,910 | $14,076 | $81.21 |
| Median | $175,810 | $14,651 | $84.52 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $131,040 | $10,920 | $63.00 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $196,980 | $16,415 | $94.70 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Optometrists salary after taxes in La Crosse
On the average salary of $168,910, a single filer in La Crosse takes home about $118,404 a year, or $9,867 a month and $4,554 every two weeks. Taxes take 30% of gross pay.
The La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WI | $118,404 | $9,867 |
| Working in MN | $116,290 | $9,691 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is La Crosse a good place for optometrists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the La Crosse area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.8), so the average $168,910 buys what about $184,060 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.6 times the median wage of all jobs in La Crosse ($48,260). A typical home costs $335,330, or 2.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Optometrists salary in other Wisconsin cities
La Crosse ranks 1st of 6 Wisconsin metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
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 La Crosse: questions
How much do optometrists make an hour in La Crosse?
$81.21 an hour on average, and $84.52 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level optometrists salary in La Crosse?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $110,530 a year and the 25th percentile is $131,040, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the optometrists take-home pay in La Crosse?
About $118,404 a year ($9,867 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $168,910.
Do optometrists earn more in La Crosse than elsewhere?
The average here is 18% 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 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN (29100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.5%.
- 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 1.72, this job is 1.7 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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