Optometrists pay range in Wausau
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $99,270 a year or less, while the top 10% make $194,020 or more. The middle half of optometrists in Wausau earn between $122,350 and $177,620.
- $99K10th
- $122K25th
- $143KMedian
- $178K75th
- $194K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $146,630 | $12,219 | $70.50 |
| Median | $142,690 | $11,891 | $68.60 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $122,350 | $10,196 | $58.82 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $177,620 | $14,802 | $85.39 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Optometrists salary after taxes in Wausau
On the average salary of $146,630, a single filer in Wausau takes home about $104,357 a year, or $8,696 a month and $4,014 every two weeks. Taxes take 29% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Wausau a good place for optometrists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Wausau area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.7), so the average $146,630 buys what about $158,261 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Wausau ($48,790). A typical home costs $274,194, or 1.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Optometrists salary in other Wisconsin cities
Wausau ranks 3rd of 6 Wisconsin metro areas for this job; La Crosse pays the most ($168,910).
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 Wausau: questions
How much do optometrists make an hour in Wausau?
$70.50 an hour on average, and $68.60 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level optometrists salary in Wausau?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $99,270 a year and the 25th percentile is $122,350, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the optometrists take-home pay in Wausau?
About $104,357 a year ($8,696 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $146,630.
Do optometrists earn more in Wausau 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 Wausau, WI (48140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.3%.
- 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 1.65, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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