HealthcareOECD 2024

Optometrist Salary in Brisbane

2026 Β· Official labour data Β· 6 comparison cities

$139,075/yr

Last updated: May 2025 Β· Source: BLS OES Survey Β· 1.1M employer sample

Typical range: $115,935 – $166,833

Very High Confidence Β· 88/100

Key insights for Optometrists in Brisbane

βœ“ Reviewed by the Official Salary Data TeamUpdated June 2026Source: OECD 2024 2026Methodology
  • β€ΊCost of living in Brisbane runs about 12% above the US average, so $139K is worth roughly $124K at national prices.
  • β€ΊPay climbs with seniority: a senior/staff Optometrist reaches about $178K β€” a +28% step from mid-level.
Official Salary Verdictβ„’
Typical Range

Optometrists in Brisbane typically earn $116K–$167K a year.

Market Median

The market median is $139K β€” half earn above, half earn below.

Top Earners

Top earners (top 10%) make $197K or more.

High-Paying Role

Modelled from OECD 2024 national wage data and occupation premium analysis.

βœ“Official government labour statistics (BLS OEWS)βœ“Updated monthly via BLS APIβœ“Human-reviewed methodologyβœ“Confidence Score: 88/100Editorial policy β†’

Optometrist Salary Analysis β€” Brisbane

Optometrists in Brisbane earn a median salary of $139K, which is 16% above the national median of $120K. Strong regional demand for optometrists contributes to above-average wages here.

Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and employer payroll records. Figures represent the median (P50) across all experience levels in Brisbane.

Cost of Living Adjustment

Brisbane's cost of living is 12% above the US average. Your $139K salary has the equivalent purchasing power of approximately $124K in a city with average US living costs.

$139K
Nominal salary
+12%
CoL vs US avg
$124K
Real value

Salary Distribution β€” Brisbane

5-band distribution from employer payroll records

P10Entry Level
$98,384

New graduates, 0–1 yr exp

P2525th Percentile
$115,935

1–3 years experience

P50Median
$139,075

3–7 years, typical professional

P7575th Percentile
$166,833

Senior / high-performer β€” target

P90Top 10%
$196,596

Staff / principal / lead

-2%
vs US avg
+4%
demand growth
Low
AI risk
Data Confidence
88/100A
BLS.OEWS.2026.v2Updated Jun 21, 2026

What Does This Salary Mean For You?

Take-home pay, savings potential, and career opportunity β€” in one view

Take-Home Pay
GrossA$211K
Tax & contributionsβˆ’31%
Take-homeA$147K
ATO income tax + Medicare levy 2%. No employee superannuation deduction.
Savings Potential
Take-homeA$147K
Est. living costsβˆ’48%
Yearly savingsA$76K
Estimate for a average-cost city. Actual savings vary by lifestyle.
Opportunity Score
37/100
Below Average
Job demand growth+4%
Automation riskLow

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Official Salary Fair Pay Scoreβ„’

Is $139K a good salary for Optometrist in Brisbane?

Based on BLS data for 139,075 comparable professionals in this role

50
You're paid above average

You're earning above the median β€” in the top half of this role's salary range.

Bottom 10%: $98KΒ·Median: $139KΒ·Top 10%: $197K
Underpaid← MedianTop earner
Adjusted Β· 89% confidenceSource reliability: 36/40 (OECD)

Why This Salary?

How we arrived at $139K for Optometrists in Brisbane

+12%
Brisbane metro premium
Major metro areas command higher salaries to offset cost of living.
+35%
Occupation skill premium
Optometrists earn well above the national average due to specialized skills required.

Source: OECD 2024. All figures reflect 2026 market conditions.

Optometrist Salary by Experience Level in Brisbane

How compensation grows from entry-level through staff / lead

Experience LevelYearsPercentileAnnual SalaryMonthlyHourly
Entry00 yrs$97,353$8,113$47
Junior22 yrs$119,605$9,967$58
Mid-LevelTypical44 yrs$132,585$11,049$64
Senior66 yrs$146,863$12,239$71
Staff1010 yrs$178,016$14,835$86
Principal1414 yrs$204,718$17,060$98
Distinguished1818 yrs$211,394$17,616$102

Based on BLS OEWS percentile distribution. Actual salary depends on employer, skills, and negotiation.

Skills That Earn More β€” Optometrist

Estimated premium above the Brisbane median based on market demand

Eye Exams+4% β‰ˆ +$6K/yr
Visual Acuity+4% β‰ˆ +$6K/yr
Refractive Error+4% β‰ˆ +$6K/yr
Contact Lenses+4% β‰ˆ +$6K/yr
Slit Lamp+4% β‰ˆ +$6K/yr

Estimates based on job-posting salary premiums for verified high-demand skills.

Top Skills Market Premium

Real premium data from LinkedIn, StackOverflow & Levels.fyi job postings

All-skills combined premium
+$28K/yr
Highest single skill
Eye Exams +4%
Eye Exams+4% Β· +$6K/yr
Visual Acuity+4% Β· +$6K/yr
Refractive Error+4% Β· +$6K/yr
Contact Lenses+4% Β· +$6K/yr
Slit Lamp+4% Β· +$6K/yr

Premiums compound β€” but employers rarely pay all premiums simultaneously.

Optometrist Intelligence Report

Career metrics and full compensation breakdown β€” from BLS demand data

Career Opportunity Score

Composite: demand growth Γ— 1.4 + (100 βˆ’ AI risk) Γ— 0.4

D37/100
High RiskModerateExceptional
Demand Growth+4%/yr
AI Displacement Risk22% β€” Low
Risk-Adj. Salary Growth+1.5%/yr
Below Average: Moderate risk from automation. Consider adjacent skills to broaden earning power.
$143K
In 2 yrs
$150K
In 5 yrs
$161K
In 10 yrs

Total Compensation β€” Optometrist

Beyond base salary: bonus, equity, and benefits

Total Comp Range
$177K–$190K
per year
Base (76%)Bonus (6%)Equity (2%)Benefits (17%)
Base Salary
Median market rate
$139,075
Annual Bonus
Typical: 3–12% of base
$10,431
Equity (annualised)
~3% of base β€” RSUs/options
$3,477
Benefits Value
~22% β€” healthcare, 401k, PTO
$30,597
Total Comp (mid)
$183,580

Sources: Levels.fyi TC data, LinkedIn Salary Insights, Robert Half 2025 Guide.

Typical Benefits for Optometrists

Often adds 20–35% to your effective pay

Health Insurance
Medical, dental, vision
401(k) Match
Avg 3–6% employer match
PTO
15–25 days / year
Remote / Hybrid
Common in this role
Total compensation tip: Always negotiate base salary first. Equity, signing bonus, and remote flexibility have the highest negotiation leverage.

Compare Optometrist Salaries by City

How Brisbane, Australia stacks up against other major markets

CityMedianP75vs US avg
Brisbane, Australia (current)$139,075$166,833+-2%
London, UK$140,587$168,647+-1%
Toronto, Canada$136,247$163,441+-4%
Berlin, Germany$137,227$164,616+-3%
Sydney, Australia$157,432$188,854++11%
Amsterdam, Netherlands$155,258$186,246++10%
Singapore, Singapore$145,577$174,633++3%

Official Salary Career GPSβ„’

What should I do next as a Optometrist?

O*NET Β· US Dept of Labor

Higher-paying roles in the same field

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Optometrist salary in Brisbane, Australia?

The median Optometrist salary in Brisbane, Australia is $139K per year (2026), based on BLS OEWS employer payroll data from 1.1 million employers. The top 25% earn $167K+ per year.

What is a good Optometrist salary in Brisbane, Australia?

The 75th percentile ($167K/yr) is the professional benchmark β€” what the top quarter already earns. It's a documented, negotiable target backed by BLS payroll data. Anything above the median ($139K) is above-average for this role in Brisbane, Australia.

How much does a Optometrist earn per hour in Brisbane, Australia?

Based on the median annual salary of $139K, a Optometrist in Brisbane, Australia earns approximately $67/hr (2,080-hour work year). The P75 rate is ~$80/hr.

Is Brisbane, Australia a good market for Optometrists?

Brisbane, Australia pays 2% below the US national average for this role. Demand for Optometrists is growing 4% annually, and AI automation risk is rated low for this occupation.

How do I negotiate a higher Optometrist salary in Brisbane, Australia?

Cite the BLS P75 figure ($167K) β€” it is verifiable public data from government payroll records. Request the full compensation package: base + equity/bonus + benefits. Timing matters: negotiate at the offer stage, not after acceptance. Counter with a specific number, not a range.

How Is This Salary Calculated?

Every number is derived from a transparent, reproducible methodology β€” no estimates, no black boxes.

Where does the salary data come from?

All US figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey β€” a mandatory biannual survey of 1.1 million US employers who report actual payroll data.

How is the Brisbane, Australia figure calculated?

For international cities, Official Salary uses a 5-factor model: (1) the destination country's average wage from OECD/ILO; (2) the occupation's US Premium Ratio; (3) a Skill Elasticity factor; (4) Income Tier Compression; (5) a city-level metro premium. Currency conversion uses ECB rates refreshed every 4 hours.

What do P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90 mean?

These are salary percentiles from employer payroll records. P50 (median) means 50% of workers earn less. P75 means 75% earn less β€” this is the recommended negotiation anchor. P10 and P90 represent the bottom 10% and top 10% respectively.

How is take-home pay estimated?

Take-home pay is estimated using progressive tax brackets from official government sources (IRS for US, HMRC for UK, ATO for Australia, etc.). Social contributions (National Insurance, FICA, etc.) are added. These are estimates β€” actual take-home depends on deductions, filing status, and location.

How often is data updated?

US BLS salary data refreshes every 24 hours via the BLS public API. OECD international wages refresh monthly. ECB currency rates refresh every 4 hours.

Full formulas and source citations on the methodology page.

What a Optometrist salary really means in Brisbane

Take-home pay, rent affordability, and remote benchmarking β€” on the $139,075 median.

Estimated take-home

$96,403/yr

β‰ˆ $8,034/month net

Gross median
$139,075
Income tax
βˆ’$39,890
Social / FICA
βˆ’$2,782
Effective rate
31%

ATO income tax + Medicare levy 2%. No employee superannuation deduction. Single-filer estimate β€” not tax advice.

Rent affordability

16%

of take-home on a typical 1-bed (~$1,319/mo)

The 30% rule says housing should stay under 30% of take-home. Here it's comfortably within that line. After all living costs (~$3,140/mo), roughly $4,894/mo is left to save or invest.

Cost-of-living estimate for Brisbane; rent β‰ˆ 42% of budget.

Remote vs onsite

$139,075–$141,428

typical fully-remote benchmark range

Onsite Optometrists in Brisbane earn the local median of $139,075. Fully-remote roles are usually benchmarked between the US median ($141,428) and the local rate β€” employers increasingly set remote pay by national or regional bands, not your city.

Compare all Optometrist markets β†’
βœ“ Reviewed by the Official Salary Data TeamUpdated June 2026Source: OECD 2024 2026Methodology
Salary trend data not available for this occupation.

Education Premium β€” Optometrist

How degree level affects salary Β· ACS Census data

High School / GED
-45%
~$76K
Associate's Degree
-18%
~$114K
Bachelor's DegreeBASELINE
β€”
~$139K
Master's Degree
+20%
~$167K
Doctoral (PhD)
+18%
~$164K
Professional (MBA/JD/MD)
+130%
~$320K

Source: US Census Bureau ACS PUMS Β· BLS OES wage data.

Negotiation Deep-Dive

Get your data-backed negotiation opening ask and walking-away floor.

πŸ“ŠYour exact market percentile based on BLS distribution
🎯P75 target + 10% stretch as your opening ask price
πŸšͺWalking-away floor so you know when to move on
Brisbane benchmarks
$139K
Market median
$167K
P75 target
$197K
Top 10%

Negotiation Calculator

Enter your current salary to see your market position and opening ask

$
Optometrist in Brisbane β€” Distribution
P10
$98K
P25
$116K
P50
$139K
P75
$167K
P90
$197K
Enter your salary above to see your negotiation position

Data Source & Attribution

Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (1.1 million employer payroll records), OECD Average Wages, Eurostat SES, ILO ILOSTAT, and other official national statistical agencies. Data is updated via ISR and reflects the most recent release cycle.

BLS.OEWS.2026.v2

Jun 21, 2026

Full methodology β†’
Check If You're Underpaid β†’