If you are a physical therapist looking to find your perfect new home state, take a look into our list of the 25 best states for optometrists.
What is an optometrist? Images of charts with large letters at the top, and progressively smaller and smaller letters toward the bottom, may come to mind. Or perhaps you might be thinking of the crazy-looking metal contraption that you press your face into in order to tell the doctor which slide looks more clear. The bottom line is, optometrists are doctors of the human eye. They test vision, note vision problems, and provide solutions to visual impairments and eye-related health concerns. Maybe it is because I ate so many carrots as a kid, but I have never had any vision problems. I used to actually wish that I had worse vision (and I may have tried to fake a vision test or two in school) so that I could wear glasses. Unfortunately, the optometrists knew what they were doing, and always caught me trying to cheat the exams.
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Becoming an optometrist requires a great deal of education and training. First, a 4-year bachelors degree is necessary, with specific requirements in laboratory science, calculus, physiology, biology, and chemistry. The next step is to obtain a Doctor of Optometry degree, which takes another 4 years to complete. Upon completion of this educational track, prospective optometry students must pass the Optometry Admission Test, which is administered by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. Internships and clinical rotations may be performed after the test is passed. Many states in the US also require state-specific licensure. The Bureau of Labor Statistics claims that the median annual salary for optometrists is $106,140 per year ($51.03hourly). Most optometrists work in optometry-specific offices, and some also work in stores that sell optical devices. Working as an optometrist requires a great deal of patience, precision, intense medical knowledge, and communication skills.
If you are looking to study within the medical field, but you are not sure which concentration would best suit you, also feel free to check out our list of 25 best states for physical therapists.
Deciding which states qualify as the “best” is not a simple task. Different factors matter more to different people. We decided to consult the Bureau of Labor Statistics for information on the average mean wage and the number of employed optometrists in each state. We then sourced information on the cost of living index from Missouri Economic Research And Information Center. Considering all of these factors, we were able to sort our list of best states for optometrists.
It is not enough for a state to simply have a high average salary for its optometrists. It must also be considered that the number of working optometrists in the state may affect the number of job positions that are open to newcomers. On the other side of that argument, more employed optometrists points to the possibility of a more steady stream of work available. The cost of living index can also not be considered alone. It is great to have a low cost of living, but this only matters if your salary is also not super low. A low cost of living paired with a high salary is the most advantageous situation. States falling into this category made the top of our list.
Without further ado, here is our list of 25 best states for optometrists.
25. Wisconsin
Cost of living index: 96.9
Annual mean wage: $115,450
Hourly mean wage: $55.50
Number of employees: 450
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24. Maine
Cost of living index: 112
Annual mean wage: $134,540
Hourly mean wage: $64.68
Number of employees: 140
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23. Arkansas
Cost of living index: 88.5
Annual mean wage: $106,800
Hourly mean wage: $51.34
Number of employees: 320
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22. Nevada
Cost of living index: 104.5
Annual mean wage: $126,850
Hourly mean wage: $60.98
Number of employees: 280
21. North Dakota
Cost of living index: 98.9
Annual mean wage: $120,310
Hourly mean wage: $57.84
Number of employees: 190
20. Texas
Cost of living index: 90.7
Annual mean wage: $110,790
Hourly mean wage: $53.26
Number of employees: 2,410
19. Arizona
Cost of living index: 98.1
Annual mean wage: $121,430
Hourly mean wage: $58.37
Number of employees: 670
18. Louisiana
Cost of living index: 94.4
Annual mean wage: $118,490
Hourly mean wage: $56.96
Number of employees: 190
17. Montana
Cost of living index: 100.8
Annual mean wage: $126,530
Hourly mean wage: $60.83
Number of employees: 130
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16. Michigan
Cost of living index: 88.2
Annual mean wage: $113,090
Hourly mean wage: $54.37
Number of employees: 1,240
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15. Iowa
Cost of living index: 91.7
Annual mean wage: $117,670
Hourly mean wage: $56.57
Number of employees: 360
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14. Delaware
Cost of living index: 102.6
Annual mean wage: $132,650
Hourly mean wage: $63.77
Number of employees: 120
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13. Colorado
Cost of living index: 102.1
Annual mean wage: $132,980
Hourly mean wage: $63.93
Number of employees: 930
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12. Tennessee
Cost of living index: 89.8
Annual mean wage: $117,250
Hourly mean wage: $56.37
Number of employees: 640
We’re halfway through our list of best states for optometrists, and now, let’s see the other half.
11. South Carolina
Cost of living index: 100.5
Annual mean wage: $131,650
Hourly mean wage: $63.29
Number of employees: 500
10. Idaho
Cost of living index: 89.6
Annual mean wage: $118,650
Hourly mean wage: $57.04
Number of employees: 240
9. Wyoming
Cost of living index: 91.7
Annual mean wage: $123,110
Hourly mean wage: $59.18
Number of employees: 90
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8. Virginia
Cost of living index: 100.2
Annual mean wage: $134,970
Hourly mean wage: $64.88
Number of employees: 1240
7. Ohio
Cost of living index: 93
Annual mean wage: $126,570
Hourly mean wage: $60.85
Number of employees: 1,130
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6. Missouri
Cost of living index: 90.8
Annual mean wage: $126,800
Hourly mean wage: $60.96
Number of employees: 800
5. Alaska
Cost of living index: 131.6
Annual mean wage: $187,800
Hourly mean wage: $90.28
Number of employees: 70
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4. North Carolina
Cost of living index: 94.2
Annual mean wage: $134,540
Hourly mean wage: $64.68
Number of employees: 930
3. Connecticut
Cost of living index: 130.7
Annual mean wage: $192,870
Hourly mean wage: $92.72
Number of employees: 220
2. Mississippi
Cost of living index: 86
Annual mean wage: $131,980
Hourly mean wage: $63.45
Number of employees: 200
1. Oklahoma
Cost of living index: 88.6
Annual mean wage: $136,740
Hourly mean wage: $65.74
Number of employees: 660
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This was our list of 25 best states for optometrists. We hope we managed to show you some great options, and what you should expect from each state when deciding where to move.
