Optometrist Salary in San Jose, CA
Optometrists in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a median $135,330 a year — 1% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $93,649 take-home, or $7,804 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median optometrist salary in San Jose, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$21,213
- Social Security (6.2%)$8,390
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,962
- California income tax$8,356
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,759
- Take-home pay$93,649
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 9.30% state
Optometrist pay by experience in San Jose, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $134,370 | $64.60 | $93,094 | $7,758 |
| 25th percentile | $134,370 | $64.60 | $93,094 | $7,758 |
| Median (50th) | $135,330 | $65.06 | $93,649 | $7,804 |
| 75th percentile | $169,150 | $81.32 | $113,180 | $9,432 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $207,720 | $99.87 | $136,824 | $11,402 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $135,330 buys in San Jose, CA
Prices in San Jose, CA are 10.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 2.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median optometrist's $93,649 take-home pay has the buying power of $84,809 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
San Jose, CA has 1.9× the national concentration of optometrist jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for optometrists, adjusted for cost of living
San Jose, CA ranks #18 of 21 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia, PA | $153,980 | $111,784 | $109,000 |
| 2 | Kansas City, MO | $138,580 | $100,410 | $108,500 |
| 3 | Denver, CO | $158,130 | $113,099 | $106,917 |
| 4 | Minneapolis, MN | $159,790 | $110,772 | $105,676 |
| 5 | Dallas, TX | $140,790 | $107,496 | $104,274 |
| 6 | Detroit, MI | $142,690 | $102,981 | $102,675 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $154,970 | $109,659 | $101,287 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $161,030 | $112,869 | $100,272 |
| 18 | San Jose, CA | $135,330 | $93,649 | $84,809 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 21 metros →
Optometrist salaries elsewhere in California
- Sacramento, CA — $139,020
- Riverside, CA — $129,990
- San Francisco, CA — $142,580
- Los Angeles, CA — $138,940
- San Diego, CA — $133,280
Frequently asked questions
How much does a optometrist make in San Jose, CA?
The median optometrist salary in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $135,330 a year, or about $65.06 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $134,370 and $169,150.
What is a optometrist’s take-home pay in San Jose, CA?
On the median $135,330 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $93,649 a year ($7,804 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $10,115 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Jose, CA a good place to work as a optometrist?
Pay here is 1% below the national median of $136,570. Local prices are 10.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $84,809 would in a typical U.S. city. San Jose, CA ranks #18 of 21 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a optometrist afford rent in San Jose, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Jose, CA is $2,957 a month ($3,464 for two bedrooms) — 38% of a median optometrist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Jose, CA
- Family Medicine Physician — $239,200+
- Nurse Practitioner — $231,560
- Physician Assistant — $223,640
- Registered Nurse — $216,740
- Dentists, General — $207,910
- Pharmacist — $199,040
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer — $173,150
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician — $154,850
- Respiratory Therapist — $149,680
- Dental Hygienist — $139,990
- Physical Therapist — $139,000
- Occupational Therapist — $136,870