Ophthalmologist salary, United States
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The median annual wage for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric (the closest BLS occupation to Ophthalmologist) in the United States was $300,080 in BLS OEWS May 2025, and the middle half of workers earned between $173,650 and $421,530.
What does the published band tell you about a Ophthalmologist offer?
The published annual P25 to P75 band for Ophthalmologist in the United States is
How does Ophthalmologist pay in the United States compare with the nation?
BLS reports $300,080 as the annual median for SOC 29-1241, Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric, in the United States. Ophthalmologist in the United States has a annual median $0 away from the national median of $300,080. Ophthalmologist may cover different duties within that published occupation. We ask what this Ophthalmologist must handle before you use the the United States median in an offer.
What does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN add to this Ophthalmologist comparison?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN reports $284,630 for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric in BLS OEWS May 2025. The Ophthalmologist median gap between the United States and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is
What does Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH add to this Ophthalmologist comparison?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH reports $325,200 for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric in BLS OEWS May 2025. The Ophthalmologist median gap between the United States and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is $25,120 on this annual basis. A Ophthalmologist candidate moving between these markets still has to weigh the work and schedule. For Ophthalmologist in the United States, this the United States comparison does not measure living costs, commuting distance or relocation expense.
Which published industries help you read Ophthalmologist pay?
For Ophthalmologist, Outpatient Care Centers, NAICS 621400, reports a national median of $458,580. For Ophthalmologist, Offices of Physicians, NAICS 621100, reports a national median of $303,920. These Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric estimates are national, not industry pay rates for the United States. Top-coded industry medians are not placed in this numeric Ophthalmologist ranking. Use the Ophthalmologist setting and duties to decide whether that industry comparison belongs in your brief.
What changed between releases for Ophthalmologist in the United States?
A comparable exact prior annual median for Ophthalmologist in the United States is not available alongside the current value. The current Ophthalmologist entry is $300,080 in BLS OEWS May 2025. For Ophthalmologist in the United States, we do not replace a missing the United States observation with another release. A capped Ophthalmologist median is a floor, so it cannot support an exact change calculation.
What belongs beside base pay in your Ophthalmologist offer?
Ophthalmologist wages in the United States include base rates and guaranteed or production pay under the BLS definition. For Ophthalmologist, production incentives already counted in OEWS should not be added again. For this Ophthalmologist brief, overtime, shift differentials and on-call pay sit outside the OEWS wage. A non-production sign-on payment for Ophthalmologist is also outside that the United States figure. We discuss those Ophthalmologist terms without inventing an amount to add.
What else should you ask about this pay table?
Ophthalmologist maps to SOC 29-1241, Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric. The the United States annual median is $300,080. For Ophthalmologist in the United States, this is a broader occupation, not a separate survey of this exact title.
Does the United States publish a separate wage for Ophthalmologist?
Ophthalmologist maps to SOC 29-1241, Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric. The the United States annual median is $300,080. For Ophthalmologist in the United States, this is a broader occupation, not a separate survey of this exact title.
Where should you place a Ophthalmologist offer inside the the United States band?
The published annual P25 to P75 band for Ophthalmologist in the United States is
Can the Ophthalmologist figure in the United States stand in for the whole package?
Ophthalmologist pay in this the United States table is not total compensation. For Ophthalmologist in the United States, shift differential, on-call pay and non-production sign-on payments are excluded by the OEWS definition. For Ophthalmologist in the United States, write those terms separately before comparing offers.
Which markets can you compare with the United States for Ophthalmologist?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH have published rows for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric. For Ophthalmologist in the United States, they are employment-based comparison markets, not a claim about nearest locations. Each linked Ophthalmologist table names its own area and SOC.
Is the Ophthalmologist change in the United States a forecast?
A comparable exact prior annual median for Ophthalmologist in the United States is not available alongside the current value. The current Ophthalmologist entry is $300,080 in BLS OEWS May 2025. For Ophthalmologist in the United States, we do not replace a missing the United States observation with another release. A capped Ophthalmologist median is a floor, so it cannot support an exact change calculation.
The Ophthalmologist national comparison markets use published employment, not geographic proximity. Read the geography and wage definitions.
BLS occupation: Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric.
BLS reports Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric as one occupation. It does not publish a separate estimate for Ophthalmologist, its setting or its engagement terms.
What does this occupation pay nationally?
BLS publishes five national pay points for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric, SOC 29-1241, in BLS OEWS May 2025: the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles. The range bar and table below show each published point. Percentiles describe the spread of pay across workers, not experience levels. Read the median as a midpoint, not an offer for your vacancy.
- P10 to P90 published range
- P25 to P75 middle range
- P50 median
| Point | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $100,180 |
| 25th percentile | $173,650 |
| Median | $300,080 |
| 75th percentile | $421,530 |
| 90th percentile | $489,710 |
| Mean (average) | $304,650 |
For Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric in the United States, BLS reports a median of $300,080; the middle half of workers earned between $173,650 and $421,530 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- P10 to P90 published range
- P25 to P75 middle range
- P50 median
| Point | Hourly wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48.16 |
| 25th percentile | $83.49 |
| Median | $144.27 |
| 75th percentile | $202.66 |
| 90th percentile | $235.44 |
| Mean (average) | $146.47 |
For Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric in the United States, BLS reports a median of $144.27; the middle half of workers earned between $83.49 and $202.66 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What BLS wages include and exclude
Included
- Base rates
- Commissions
- Cost-of-living allowances
- Deadheading pay
- Guaranteed pay
- Hazard pay
- Incentive pay
- Longevity pay
- Over-the-road pay (Mileage)
- Piece rates
- Portal-to-portal rates
- Production bonuses
- Tips
Excluded
- Attendance bonuses
- Back pay
- Clothing allowances
- Discount
- Draw
- Holiday bonus
- Holiday premium pay
- Jury duty pay
- Meal and lodging payments
- Merchandise discounts
- Non-production bonuses
- On-call pay
- Overtime pay
- Perquisites
- Profit-sharing payments
- Relocation allowances
- Severance pay
- Shift differentials
- Stock bonuses
- Tool/equipment allowances
- Tuition repayment
- Uniform allowance
- Weekend premium pay
- Year-end bonuses
Employment: 8,950 jobs nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, BLS OEWS May 2025. SOC 29-1241 Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric, United States. BLS page for this occupation. CSV
How has published pay changed since the last BLS release?
These are separate BLS estimates, not a wage growth forecast. Survey coverage and area boundaries can change. The table places the published median for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric in United States from BLS OEWS May 2024 next to BLS OEWS May 2025. A top-coded value is a floor, not an exact median.
| Pay basis | BLS OEWS May 2024 | BLS OEWS May 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| annual | $239,200 or more | $300,080 |
| hourly | $115.00 or more | $144.27 |
Prior release: 2024-05, published 2025-04-02. Current release: 2025-05, published 2026-05-15. A top-coded value is a floor, not an exact median.
What does this pay include, and what does it leave out?
OEWS counts base rates, guaranteed pay and production incentives. It describes pay reported for employees, not an offer for this vacancy. Benefits and self-employed earnings are outside these wage estimates. For physicians and other providers, production bonuses and commissions belong in BLS wages.
Do not add them twice. Partnership distributions and contractor receipts are not a separate rate published by OEWS.
Overtime, shift differentials and on-call pay are excluded. If this job has a call rota or extra shifts, spell out those payments rather than treating the BLS median as the whole package.
Meal and lodging payments and relocation allowances are excluded. A travel per diem for those costs is not part of this wage. Keep it separate from the pay comparison.
Non-production bonuses are excluded. A sign-on or retention payment that is not tied to production should be discussed separately. BLS does not publish an amount to add for that payment.
BLS pay definitions. These notes do not add an estimated bonus or premium.
How does clinical pay compare with management pay here?
These duties map to different BLS occupations. A manager's median is not a promised raise for a clinician. Read the mapping on each page. Each link below opens a related occupation with its own SOC code, published percentiles and source line. Compare the duties before comparing medians, because a title change can mean a different occupation.
Which metro areas publish pay for this occupation?
This table lists every metro area where BLS published a median for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric in BLS OEWS May 2025. Each row shows the median, the middle half of pay from the 25th to the 75th percentile, employment and the location quotient. Metros without a published median are left out rather than estimated.
| Metro area | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $239,200 or more | $239,200 or more to $239,200 or more | 300 | 1.85 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $700,850 | $668,500 to $700,850 | 60 | 0.92 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $412,900 | $197,590 to $469,380 | 60 | 0.38 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $399,020 | $176,590 to $450,370 | 200 | 4.92 |
| Worcester, MA | $387,810 | $277,680 to $390,740 | 30 | 1.69 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $359,980 | $218,870 to $359,990 | 210 | 0.91 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $337,850 | $200,530 to $337,850 | 60 | 3.84 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $325,200 | $226,790 to $335,580 | 330 | 2.15 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $320,450 | $185,750 to $425,650 | 180 | 0.96 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $302,410 | $155,250 to $458,870 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| Northern New Jersey market: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ. Shared metro, not New Jersey-only. | $302,410 | $155,250 to $458,870 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $284,630 | $164,400 to $334,330 | 510 | 1.97 |
| Rochester, NY | $269,570 | $75,200 to $428,270 | 40 | 1.50 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | $260,000 | $138,850 to $271,850 | 40 | 4.16 |
| Syracuse, NY | $239,000 | $120,750 to $406,490 | 40 | 2.03 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $232,300 | $155,580 to $398,820 | 120 | 1.93 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $218,380 | $218,380 to $404,650 | 80 | 3.04 |
| Rapid City, SD | $211,990 | $211,990 to $211,990 | 70 | 15.81 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $210,490 | $150,360 to $277,050 | 130 | 1.64 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $182,490 | $65,240 to $451,590 | 30 | 2.00 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $168,600 | $135,950 to $435,600 | 110 | 1.74 |
How do you find pay for a state or nonmetro area?
Choose a state, metro or nonmetropolitan area below to open the published figures for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric. If BLS did not publish a median, the guide shows the state or national estimate with a clear fallback label. It does not create a salary page for that missing combination. Every area page names its source row.
Does this pay differ by healthcare industry?
National industry estimates for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric, SOC 29-1241. Industry names are the names published by BLS. These are not local industry wages. Each row uses the pay basis BLS published for that industry, from the 10th to the 90th percentile, with employment. Cells BLS did not publish stay blank rather than estimated.
| Industry / NAICS | Basis | P10 | P25 | Median | P75 | P90 | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | annual | $122,660 | $188,930 | $303,920 | $428,690 | $484,680 | 6,750 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | annual | $90,370 | $140,410 | $222,710 | $307,510 | $423,570 | 650 |
| Outpatient Care Centers NAICS 621400 | annual | $213,620 | $286,280 | $458,580 | $528,110 | $528,500 | 300 |
| Hospitals NAICS 622000 | annual | $76,460 | $92,800 | $246,010 | $398,820 | $532,390 | 750 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, BLS OEWS May 2025. National industry-specific estimates. A value marked “or more” is top-coded.
Where is published pay highest and lowest for this occupation?
Highest and lowest published numeric medians for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric, SOC 29-1241. Top-coded medians cannot be ranked exactly and are not placed in this list. The table shows up to ten metros at each end, with employment and location quotient. Location quotient describes employment concentration, not pay. A metro missing here may still publish a capped value.
| Metro | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $700,850 | 60 | 0.92 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $433,520 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $429,080 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $412,900 | 60 | 0.38 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $399,020 | 200 | 4.92 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $389,450 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| Worcester, MA | $387,810 | 30 | 1.69 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $359,980 | 210 | 0.91 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $337,850 | 60 | 3.84 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $332,670 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $255,480 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| Syracuse, NY | $239,000 | 40 | 2.03 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $232,300 | 120 | 1.93 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $226,640 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $218,380 | 80 | 3.04 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $215,760 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| Rapid City, SD | $211,990 | 70 | 15.81 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $210,490 | 130 | 1.64 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $182,490 | 30 | 2.00 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $168,600 | 110 | 1.74 |
How does this pay compare with all wages in each metro?
We divide this occupation's median by the all-occupations median for the same area and pay basis. This is simple arithmetic on BLS rows. It is not a cost-of-living adjustment or a percentile. Location quotient is shown separately. A ratio above one means this occupation's median is higher than the area's all-occupations median.
| Metro | Occupation median | All-occupations median | Median ratio | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $700,850 | $84,050 | 8.34 times | 0.92 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $412,900 | $51,170 | 8.07 times | 0.38 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $433,520 | $55,850 | 7.76 times | Not published by BLS |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $399,020 | $53,680 | 7.43 times | 4.92 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $332,670 | $46,670 | 7.13 times | Not published by BLS |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $359,980 | $51,440 | 7.00 times | 0.91 |
| Worcester, MA | $387,810 | $57,830 | 6.71 times | 1.69 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $389,450 | $59,320 | 6.57 times | Not published by BLS |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $320,450 | $49,410 | 6.49 times | 0.96 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $298,430 | $48,990 | 6.09 times | Not published by BLS |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, BLS OEWS May 2025. SOC 29-1241 Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric, metropolitan areas listed above. BLS page for this occupation. CSV
What do we see when recruiting for this role?
Read the Ophthalmologist brief alongside the occupation mapping. Required credentials, current duties and the work setting can differ within Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric. A BLS wage is a description of surveyed workers, not an offer recommendation. Compare the actual responsibilities and the candidate's preferences before changing the brief. This is a qualitative view from our search work, not BLS data.
What is the median pay for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric?
$300,080 nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025). 50% of workers in this occupation earned less than this and 50% earned more. The median covers every setting BLS surveyed, so it is a midpoint of reported pay, not an offer benchmark for your vacancy. Read the mapping note and the percentile range before you set pay.
How much do the best-paid workers earn?
10% of workers in this occupation earned more than $489,710, and 10% earned less than $100,180.
Is this the pay for Ophthalmologist exactly?
No. BLS reports Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric as one occupation. It does not publish a separate estimate for Ophthalmologist, its setting or its engagement terms. Treat these figures as the closest published evidence, not an exact-title benchmark.
What is the hourly equivalent?
The BLS median hourly wage is $144.27. BLS converts hourly to annual with 2,080 hours a year, so the annual median is $300,080.
Where is the median highest?
Among the metro areas listed on this page, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest published median at $700,850.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimates 8,950 jobs nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).