Optometrist Salary in Texas: $132,734 (2026)

Quick Answer:Across Texas's 109 metropolitan areas, the average median optometrist pay sits at $132,734/year heading into 2026 — a figure projected from 2025 BLS OEWS wage data for SOC 29-1041. Because Texas sits at BEA RPP 96.0 (4% below the U.S. baseline), that statewide median translates to roughly $138,265 in nationally-comparable purchasing power. Highest-paying metros: Killeen ($160,460), Temple ($159,144), Dallas ($140,790).

Optometrist Salary in Texas - 2025 BLS Data Infographic — Texas optometrist salary overview (2026)

$132,734

Avg Median Salary

$63.81

Avg Hourly Rate

5,401

Metro Employed

109

Cities

In 2026, the average median salary for optometrists in Texas is projected to be $132,734, which is about 5.6% below the national median of $140,612. The variance in pay across different cities within Texas is significant; Killeen tops the list at $165,210, while San Antonio reflects the lowest at $115,089, highlighting a $50,121 disparity. This difference can largely be attributed to factors such as local cost of living, demand for eye care services, and the presence of healthcare facilities. Texas has specific licensing requirements and scope of practice laws that can influence optometrist earnings. The projected job market shows a growth rate of 2.96%, indicating a steady demand for optometrists across the state. The cities with the highest projected salaries, including Temple ($163,855), Dallas ($144,957), Lubbock ($144,216), and Fort Worth ($144,012), generally have larger populations and increased access to healthcare services, which drives up the demand for optometry professionals. Overall, while salaries in Texas are slightly lower than the national average, the steady growth and varying local demand offer opportunities for those entering the field.

Texas Optometrist Salary Range

Entry Level (10th %ile)

$75,264

avg across 109 cities

Median

$132,734

state average

Top Earners (90th %ile)

$181,806

avg across 109 cities

Overall salary range in Texas: $35,624 (lowest entry-level) to $305,143 (highest top earner)

Texas vs National Average

Texas

$132,734

National Median

$140,612

Texas optometrists earn 5.6% less than the national median ($-7,878/year difference).

Texas Optometrist Salary Distribution (2026)

Optometrist salaries in Texas range from $75,264 (entry-level, 10th percentile) to $181,806 (top earners, 90th percentile), with a median of $132,734. The Texas median is $7,878 below the US national median of $140,612. The average hourly rate is $63.81/hr. Approximately 5,401 optometrists are employed across 109 cities.

2019 BLS Actual

$112,515

2025 BLS Actual

$128,918

2026 Current Est.

$132,734

2019–2027 Growth

+21.5%

Salary Trajectory for Optometrists in Texas (2019–2027)

2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 2.96% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected

Year	Annual Salary	Status
2019	$112,515	Actual
2020	$112,742	Actual
2021	$115,386	Actual
2022	$120,780	Actual
2023	$126,154	Actual
2024	$128,210	Actual
2025	$128,918	Actual
2026(current)	$132,734	Estimated
2027	$136,662	Projected

Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Texas metropolitan area, the median optometrist salary grew 14.6% from $112,515 (2019) to $128,918 (2025). At a 2.96% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $136,662 by 2027 — a total increase of $24,147 (21.46%) from 2019.

Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Texas metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 2.96% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.

Top 5 Highest Paying Cities in Texas

Killeen

30 employed · $79.42/hr

$165,210

+24.47% vs avg

Temple

14 employed · $78.77/hr

$163,855

+23.45% vs avg

Dallas

870 employed · $69.69/hr

$144,957

+9.21% vs avg

Lubbock

60 employed · $69.33/hr

$144,216

+8.65% vs avg

Fort Worth

219 employed · $69.24/hr

$144,012

+8.50% vs avg

Lowest Paying Cities in Texas

City	Median Salary	vs State Avg	Hourly
San Antonio	$115,089	-13.29%	$55.33
New Braunfels	$116,087	-12.54%	$55.81
Tomball	$123,181	-7.20%	$59.22
Murphy	$124,172	-6.45%	$59.70
Horizon City	$125,010	-5.82%	$60.10

Best Value Cities for Optometrists in Texas

When adjusted for local cost of living, these Texas cities offer the most purchasing power for optometrists.

City	Nominal Salary	CoL Index	Adjusted Salary
Killeen	$165,210	91.132	$181,286
Temple	$163,855	96	$170,682
Lubbock	$144,216	91.317	$157,929
McAllen	$134,311	85.895	$156,366
Corpus Christi	$142,208	92.671	$153,455

Adjusted salary = nominal salary × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average. Lower index = lower cost of living.

Salary by Experience Level in Texas

Experience Level	Estimated Annual	Est. Hourly	Description
Entry Level (0-2 years)	$75,264	$36.18	10th percentile, new graduates
Mid Career (3-7 years)	$132,734	$63.81	50th percentile, median salary
Experienced (7+ years)	$181,806	$87.41	90th percentile, top earners

Estimates based on BLS percentile data averaged across Texas metro areas. Individual pay varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.

All 109 Cities in Texas

#	City	Median Salary	Hourly	Entry (P10)	Top (P90)	Employed
1	Killeen	$165,210	$79.42	$68,324	$305,143	30
2	Temple	$163,855	$78.77	$95,036	$244,263	14
3	Dallas	$144,957	$69.69	$75,490	$171,274	870
4	Lubbock	$144,216	$69.33	$61,076	$161,802	60
5	Fort Worth	$144,012	$69.24	$83,527	$223,219	219
6	Corpus Christi	$142,208	$68.37	$67,274	$167,712	70
7	Arlington	$142,029	$68.28	$82,377	$218,734	83
8	Irving	$140,775	$67.68	$81,649	$213,185	51
9	Plano	$140,311	$67.46	$81,381	$211,021	57
10	Garland	$139,580	$67.11	$80,956	$216,349	43
11	Frisco	$139,081	$66.86	$80,667	$215,577	38
12	Port Arthur	$138,032	$66.36	$80,059	$200,557	12
13	Wichita Falls	$137,728	$66.21	$79,882	$201,599	20
14	San Marcos	$137,454	$66.08	$79,723	$199,827	13
15	Conroe	$136,234	$65.49	$79,016	$198,031	15
16	Laredo	$136,171	$65.46	$78,979	$211,065	48
17	El Paso	$136,154	$65.46	$35,624	$173,189	70
18	Richardson	$135,980	$65.38	$78,868	$200,529	24
19	Carrollton	$135,958	$65.37	$78,855	$209,614	20
20	Grand Prairie	$135,730	$65.26	$78,723	$208,445	43
21	Mission	$135,510	$65.15	$78,596	$206,302	22
22	Harlingen	$135,340	$65.07	$78,497	$195,260	14
23	Round Rock	$135,262	$65.03	$78,451	$209,425	26
24	Waco	$135,035	$64.92	$78,321	$205,966	22
25	Beaumont	$134,939	$64.88	$69,066	$202,924	40
26	Galveston	$134,733	$64.77	$78,146	$197,725	10
27	DeSoto	$134,638	$64.73	$78,090	$205,944	9
28	Missouri City	$134,500	$64.66	$78,010	$205,797	12
29	San Angelo	$134,461	$64.65	$77,987	$204,278	22
30	Austin	$134,322	$64.58	$57,977	$187,809	350
31	McAllen	$134,311	$64.58	$40,237	$179,253	50
32	Brownsville	$134,287	$64.56	$77,886	$208,144	34
33	Abilene	$134,255	$64.55	$77,868	$208,095	26
34	Midland	$134,059	$64.45	$77,754	$202,859	27
35	Sugar Land	$133,928	$64.39	$77,678	$202,399	21
36	Allen	$133,918	$64.38	$77,672	$202,012	19
37	League City	$133,799	$64.33	$77,603	$201,941	22
38	Cedar Park	$133,739	$64.30	$77,569	$202,742	12
39	Georgetown	$133,692	$64.28	$77,541	$202,935	12
40	Baytown	$133,638	$64.25	$77,510	$194,258	16
41	Denton	$133,560	$64.22	$77,465	$201,100	33
42	Wylie	$133,542	$64.21	$77,455	$193,926	10
43	Cleburne	$133,524	$64.20	$77,443	$192,993	7
44	Mesquite	$133,505	$64.19	$77,433	$200,909	21
45	Pharr	$133,404	$64.13	$77,374	$201,581	18
46	McKinney	$133,386	$64.12	$77,364	$200,490	44
47	Amarillo	$133,323	$64.10	$46,373	$234,275	40
48	Pearland	$133,115	$64.00	$77,207	$199,193	19
49	Burleson	$133,023	$63.95	$77,153	$186,986	11
50	Odessa	$132,854	$63.88	$77,055	$198,629	17
51	Pflugerville	$132,851	$63.87	$77,054	$199,980	16
52	Cedar Hill	$132,794	$63.85	$77,020	$190,908	8
53	Flower Mound	$132,468	$63.69	$77,598	$198,641	12
54	Kyle	$132,383	$63.65	$77,413	$198,004	13
55	College Station	$132,304	$63.61	$48,741	$156,365	40
56	Del Rio	$132,230	$63.57	$76,694	$183,983	9
57	Coppell	$131,919	$63.42	$76,513	$195,731	8
58	Forney	$131,710	$63.32	$76,391	$187,223	6
59	Longview	$131,624	$63.28	$51,192	$169,338	30
60	Rowlett	$131,575	$63.26	$76,313	$195,532	15
61	The Colony	$131,376	$63.17	$76,198	$185,771	9
62	Anna	$131,324	$63.14	$76,168	$194,014	4
63	Huntsville	$131,178	$63.06	$76,083	$193,187	11
64	Edinburg	$131,082	$63.02	$76,028	$195,081	22
65	Tyler	$131,068	$63.01	$95,897	$185,884	40
66	Texarkana	$131,001	$62.98	$75,980	$184,834	9
67	Mansfield	$130,766	$62.87	$75,844	$192,741	18
68	Weatherford	$130,741	$62.86	$75,830	$183,634	9
69	Euless	$130,681	$62.83	$75,795	$192,448	14
70	Weslaco	$130,594	$62.79	$75,745	$191,193	9
71	Hurst	$130,532	$62.75	$75,709	$183,261	9
72	Victoria	$130,447	$62.71	$75,659	$196,069	14
73	Grapevine	$130,372	$62.68	$75,616	$196,144	12
74	Leander	$130,340	$62.66	$75,597	$191,278	11
75	Little Elm	$130,334	$62.66	$75,593	$182,599	12
76	Lancaster	$130,220	$62.61	$75,527	$190,239	8
77	North Richland Hills	$130,128	$62.56	$75,474	$190,551	17
78	Duncanville	$130,104	$62.55	$75,460	$189,849	8
79	Copperas Cove	$129,854	$62.43	$78,522	$189,000	7
80	Friendswood	$129,834	$62.42	$77,927	$188,930	8
81	Seguin	$129,292	$62.16	$77,124	$186,777	7
82	Rockwall	$129,114	$62.07	$76,865	$186,500	12
83	Corinth	$128,980	$62.01	$74,967	$175,831	6
84	Schertz	$128,865	$61.95	$74,742	$185,339	6
85	Corsicana	$128,758	$61.90	$74,679	$174,791	6
86	San Juan	$128,666	$61.86	$75,868	$189,547	9
87	Kingsville	$128,656	$61.86	$75,844	$184,640	5
88	Prosper	$128,625	$61.84	$75,775	$184,855	7
89	Houston	$128,329	$61.69	$98,862	$166,805	1,250
90	Sachse	$128,302	$61.68	$75,061	$183,773	5
91	Bastrop	$128,283	$61.67	$74,404	$177,948	6
92	Socorro	$128,062	$61.57	$74,396	$187,186	5
93	Eagle Pass	$127,822	$61.46	$74,136	$182,173	5
94	Keller	$127,634	$61.36	$74,028	$181,549	7
95	Sherman	$127,624	$61.35	$74,022	$181,515	9
96	Lufkin	$127,488	$61.29	$73,943	$180,748	8
97	Haltom City	$127,478	$61.29	$73,938	$180,635	11
98	Nacogdoches	$127,478	$61.29	$73,938	$180,713	7
99	Benbrook	$127,374	$61.24	$73,877	$182,568	6
100	University Park	$127,252	$61.18	$73,807	$182,164	5
101	The Woodlands	$126,794	$60.96	$73,540	$191,824	21
102	Pasadena	$126,651	$60.89	$73,458	$190,988	32
103	Fredericksburg	$126,454	$60.80	$76,031	$179,519	5
104	Stephenville	$125,556	$60.37	$77,867	$169,066	6
105	Horizon City	$125,010	$60.10	$76,474	$174,479	6
106	Murphy	$124,172	$59.70	$74,692	$176,017	5
107	Tomball	$123,181	$59.22	$72,453	$168,870	5
108	New Braunfels	$116,087	$55.81	$67,331	$169,601	15
109	San Antonio	$115,089	$55.33	$46,528	$162,697	730

More Texas Salary Data

Hourly Rates

Explore optometrist hourly pay in Texas cities.

Killeen →Temple →Dallas →

Entry Level

Starting salaries for new optometrists.

Killeen →Temple →Dallas →

Senior / Experienced

Top earner salaries for experienced optometrists.

Killeen →Temple →Dallas →

Compare Cities in Texas

Houston, TXvsDallas, TX Houston, TXvsSan Antonio, TX Houston, TXvsAustin, TX Dallas, TXvsSan Antonio, TX Houston, TXvsFort Worth, TX Houston, TXvsArlington, TX

View all comparisons →

Explore More Optometrist Salary Data

National OverviewMedian salary & full US data Entry-Level SalariesStarting pay & new grad earnings Hourly Pay RatesPer-hour rates & part-time income Highest Paying StatesTop states ranked by salary

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do optometrists make in Texas in 2026?

The average median optometrist salary in Texas is $132,734/year across 109 metro areas, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Salaries range from $115,089 in San Antonio to $165,210 in Killeen. This makes Texas 5.6% below the national median of $140,612. The state employs approximately 5,401 optometrists.

What is the highest paying city for optometrists in Texas?

Killeen offers the highest optometrist salary in Texas at $165,210/year ($79.42/hr), based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). The top 3 highest-paying cities are Killeen ($165,210), Temple ($163,855), Dallas ($144,957). Higher pay in these metros is typically driven by cost of living, demand for optometry services, and competition among employers for licensed optometrists.

How does Texas optometrist pay compare to the national average?

Texas's average optometrist salary of $132,734 is 5.6% below the national median of $140,612 in 2026. The state employs approximately 5,401 optometrists across 109 metropolitan areas. When comparing salaries, consider cost-of-living differences — a lower nominal salary in an affordable area may provide better purchasing power than a higher salary in an expensive metro.

What is the entry-level optometrist salary in Texas?

Entry-level optometrists (10th percentile) in Texas earn approximately $75,264/year on average, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Starting salaries range from $35,624 in lower-paying areas to $98,862 in the highest-paying metros. New graduates should expect salaries at the lower end and can typically reach the area median within 3–5 years of clinical experience.

How many optometrists are employed in Texas?

Texas employs approximately 5,401 optometrists across 109 metropolitan areas, based on the latest BLS data. This makes Texas one of the larger employers of optometrists nationally. Demand continues to grow as the optometry field expands and the population ages.

Which Texas city offers the best value for optometrists?

When adjusted for cost of living, Killeen offers the highest purchasing power for optometrists in Texas, with an adjusted salary of $181,286 (nominal: $165,210, CoL index: 91.132). This means your dollar goes 10% further compared to the national average, making it an attractive option for maximizing real income.

Written by Aisha Patel, OD

Career Analyst

Aisha Patel has 10 years of experience in optometry. She specializes in pediatric vision care. Aisha works in a private practice setting.

Clinically reviewed by Rajiv Kumar, ODData verified by Sofia Martinez, OD

Methodology & Data Source

Statewide salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. A 2.96% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to each metro area's reported salary to estimate current 2026 optometrist compensation across Texas. State averages are employment-weighted across 109 metro areas — larger metro areas with more optometristscontribute proportionally more to the average, producing figures that better reflect typical compensation. Individual pay varies by city, employer, certifications, and experience.

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS, 7-year dataset (2019–2025). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.

2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.96%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for optometrists (SOC 29-1041).

Compiled and verified by Aisha Patel, OD, a licensed optometrist with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov

Last verified: June 10, 2026

Share:Facebook X LinkedIn Email