Optometrists in Missouri
Is Missouri a good place for you to work as an Optometrist?
You’re in luck! Jobs for Optometrists in Missouri are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.
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Projected employment for Optometrists in Missouri is growing faster than average.
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Optometrists in Missouri earn higher salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.
What Major Will Prepare You For an Optometrist Career?
How Many Optometrists Work in Missouri?
In 2018, there were 610 Optometrists working in the state.
There were 760 Optometrists employed in this state in 2017.
That’s a decline of 150 jobs between 2017 and 2018.
The typical state has 505 Optometrists working in it, which means Missouri has more Optometrists than average.
Job Projections for Missouri
Jobs for Optometrists in this state are growing at a rate of 10.3% which is slower than the nationwide estimated projection of 17.9%.
Missouri Annual Job Openings
The BLS is projecting 40 annual Optometrists job openings in Missouri, and 960 total jobs in the year 2026.
Nationwide, the prediction is 2,000 annual jobs and 47,400 total jobs in 2026.
What do Optometrists Make in Missouri?
In 2018 wages for Optometrists ranged from $65,590 to $176,590 with $101,710 being the median annual salary.
Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $31.54 to $84.9. The median hourly rate was $48.9.
In 2017 the median pay for this field was $48.55 an hour.
The hourly rate grew by $0.35.
The median salary in Missouri is higher than the nationwide median salary.
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Top Missouri Metros for Optometrists
The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Optometrists.
Metro | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
---|---|---|
St. Louis, MO-IL | 350 | $108,880 |
Kansas City, MO-KS | 270 | $122,210 |
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO | 80 | $89,180 |
Springfield, MO | 80 | $101,680 |
Top States for Optometrists Employment
The table below shows the states where most Optometrists work.
State | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
---|---|---|
California | 3,760 | $111,790 |
Texas | 2,750 | $111,720 |
Illinois | 2,300 | $113,770 |
New York | 2,040 | $122,230 |
Florida | 1,590 | $104,280 |
Michigan | 1,590 | $112,120 |
Pennsylvania | 1,450 | $110,930 |
Massachusetts | 1,200 | $124,890 |
Ohio | 1,200 | $112,380 |
New Jersey | 1,160 | $116,340 |
Virginia | 1,090 | $120,940 |
Indiana | 1,080 | $92,480 |
North Carolina | 1,080 | $116,520 |
Georgia | 990 | $91,900 |
Minnesota | 900 | $117,380 |
Colorado | 830 | $131,190 |
Tennessee | 720 | $105,590 |
Washington | 700 | $113,220 |
Arizona | 660 | $123,700 |
Oklahoma | 630 | $87,780 |
Below are the states where Optometrists get paid the most:
State | Annual Median Salary |
---|---|
North Dakota | $155,030 |
Vermont | $141,880 |
Alaska | $134,040 |
Colorado | $131,190 |
Maryland | $130,600 |
Connecticut | $129,540 |
Massachusetts | $124,890 |
Arizona | $123,700 |
New Hampshire | $122,720 |
New York | $122,230 |
References
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
More about our data sources and methodologies.