Ophthalmologist pay by state, adjusted for cost of living

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Florida has the highest hourly mean wage for ophthalmologists in the U.S., while Minnesota has the highest hourly mean wage for the profession when adjusted for cost of living, according to new data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Below are the mean annual and hourly wages for ophthalmologists in 34 states, based on May 2025 salary data published by the bureau. In addition, Becker’s calculated mean hourly wages adjusted for each state’s cost of living using 2025 cost-of-living index data from World Population Review.

Across the U.S., ophthalmologists earned an average annual wage of $304,650.

The agency updated salary data May 15 to reflect 2025 information, the latest available.

Note: Compensation data was not available for every state.

StateAnnual WageHourly WageCost of living index (2025)Hourly rate, adjusted by COLI
Alabama$289,830$139.3488.6157.268623
Arkansas$255,110$122.6589.6136.8861607
California$347,690$167.16142.3117.4701335
Colorado$312,170$150.08102.7146.134372
Florida$391,060$188.01102.2183.962818
Georgia$342,700$164.7692.5178.1189189
Illinois$260,500$125.2494.7132.249208
Indiana$271,760$130.6591143.5714286
Iowa$352,380$169.4189.7188.8628763
Kentucky$181,520$87.2792.594.34594595
Louisiana$175,570$84.4192.391.45178765
Maine$320,460$154.07113136.3451327
Maryland$227,450$109.35115.494.75736568
Massachusetts$297,280$142.92141.2101.2181303
Michigan$258,160$124.1190.1137.7469478
Minnesota$373,600$179.6294.6189.8731501
Missouri$295,990$142.3189159.8988764
Nevada$291,710$140.25100.2139.9700599
New Hampshire$346,190$166.44111.4149.4075404
New York$353,390$169.90125.1135.8113509
Ohio$339,480$163.2194.3173.0752916
Oklahoma$207,100$99.5786115.7790698
Oregon$357,880$172.06111.8153.8998211
Pennsylvania$299,730$144.1097.2148.2510288
Rhode Island$336,620$161.84110.6146.3291139
South Carolina$275,240$132.3394.7139.7360084
South Dakota$225,800$108.5691.9118.1284004
Tennessee$268,340$129.0190.3142.8682171
Texas$316,220$152.0392.1165.0705755
Utah$250,050$120.22102.2117.6320939
Vermont$254,130$122.18113.6107.5528169
Virginia$301,640$145.02100.8143.8690476
Washington$330,130$158.72114.1139.1060473
Wisconsin$267,540$128.6397.7131.6581372

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