Optometrist Salary in Australia (2026): What You Can Realistically Expect to Earn

Last reviewed: September 2026

What does an optometrist earn in Australia? (Quick answer)

Glassdoor Australia currently estimates optometrist base pay at around $85,000-$110,000 a year, with average base pay of roughly $95,000-$100,000. This is a general benchmark: new graduates and early-career optometrists generally earn toward the lower end of this range, while optometrists with several years’ experience, therapeutic endorsement, or their own practice can earn well above it. Where you work, and how, both matter more than years alone.

At a glance

• National benchmark: average base pay of roughly $95,000-$100,000 AUD a year, per Glassdoor Australia, with a typical range of $85,000-$110,000.
• Entry-level: generally toward the lower end of the profession’s salary range, with pay varying considerably by employer and location.
• Regional pay varies widely by location – SEEK currently reports Kalgoorlie at $140,000 and Brisbane at $115,000, for example.
• Biggest levers beyond years served: therapeutic endorsement, practice ownership, and working in an underserved location.

Key factors that influence your optometrist salary in Australia

Optometrist pay in Australia isn’t fixed to a single number, and it typically sits above average salaries across Australia. It moves with where you practise, how many years you’ve been registered, the type of practice you join, and whether you hold any additional endorsements. Later in this guide, we’ll compare salaries across locations.

Location: why regional areas often pay more

Regional and rural employers may offer higher pay, sign-on bonuses, or relocation support to attract optometrists, since the workforce remains concentrated in metropolitan areas, per Optometry Australia’s workforce research. Australia’s Modified Monash Model (MMM), a health.gov.au classification from major cities to very remote areas, is used across health workforce programs, though eligibility for specific incentives varies by profession – optometrists aren’t automatically covered by every MMM-linked scheme. Other regional health professions see a similar imbalance; our paramedic salary in Australia guide shows a comparable pattern.

However, the cost of living also varies. While regional salaries may be higher, lifestyle expenses may be lower, helping you stretch your take-home pay further.

Experience level: salary progression over a career

Salary progression in optometry is gradual rather than a sudden early-career jump. Glassdoor Australia currently estimates optometrist base pay at around $85,000-$110,000 a year, with average base pay of roughly $95,000-$100,000. New graduates and early-career optometrists generally earn toward the lower end of the profession’s salary range, with pay varying considerably by employer and location. What moves you up isn’t just time served: a therapeutic endorsement, an expanded scope of practice, or a move into management or ownership can each open the door to higher-paying roles.

Practice setting: corporate, independent, and public

There are three main settings for optometry practice in Australia: corporate, independent, and public. Here’s what you can expect in each.

Public health sector. In this setting, optometrists can focus on their medical practice, as there’s no retail focus. Practitioners in public health also benefit from high job security. Pay here is usually set through enterprise agreements, alongside strong leave and superannuation conditions.

Corporate chains. Brands like Specsavers, OPSM, and Laubman & Pank often build incentives linked to store performance into the role. These positions mix clinical care with a retail environment. Specsavers runs a partnership model letting experienced optometrists eventually co-own their store.

Independent practices. Ownership here creates a different earning model to an employee role, though the gap between an associate and an owner is wide. Medicare billing arrangements can affect the business model and revenue of an optometry practice, which is worth understanding if you’re weighing up independent settings.

Specialisation and endorsements

An endorsement for scheduled medicines, the most significant additional qualification available, expands an optometrist’s scope of practice by allowing them to use and prescribe specified scheduled medicines, regulated by the Optometry Board of Australia. This may broaden the range of clinical roles available, although the salary impact depends on the employer and position. Other areas, such as contact lens practice, behavioural optometry, and paediatric optometry, can help you build a specialised client base, particularly outside major cities.

Optometrist salary by location in Australia (2026)

Where you work in Australia can make a big difference to your earning potential as an optometrist. SEEK doesn’t currently publish reliable statewide averages, but it does report specific location averages, and several regional areas rank among the highest-paying in the country.

These are individual location averages, not fixed rules, and shift over time, so check current listings for your destination. The pattern is clear, though: several regional and remote locations report notably higher averages than major metro hubs like Brisbane, reflecting a workforce relatively concentrated in metropolitan areas.

How to become an optometrist in Australia (and how it affects your starting salary)

If you’re starting from scratch, or bringing an overseas qualification into Australia, your path to registration shapes your starting salary as much as any employer decision.

1. Complete an approved optometry program. Australian pathways vary by university and may include an accredited undergraduate or combined undergraduate/postgraduate program – check the Optometry Board of Australia’s list of approved programs for current options.
2. Register with the Optometry Board of Australia. Registration is processed through Ahpra and requires an approved qualification, an English-language standard, a criminal history check, and professional indemnity insurance.
3. If you trained overseas, check the OCANZ assessment pathway. Overseas-qualified optometrists generally need to meet OCANZ eligibility requirements and pass the Competency in Optometry Examination, with additional requirements applying for ocular therapeutics, before meeting the requirements for general registration in Australia – a similar process to how overseas-trained nurses join Australia’s healthcare workforce.
4. Meet ongoing CPD requirements. Registered optometrists complete continuing professional development each cycle and pay an annual registration fee.
5. Consider a therapeutic endorsement early. Building it into your registration, rather than adding it later, can shorten your path to a broader scope of practice and more independent roles.

Optometrist salary outlook for 2026 and beyond

The demand for eye-care services in Australia is likely to grow, with an ageing population and rising rates of vision issues suggesting a continuing need for optometrists. At the same time, Optometry Australia says Australia currently has an overall oversupply of optometrists relative to demand, alongside ongoing geographic maldistribution that leaves some regional and rural communities relatively underserved.

Regional and rural practitioners may face less competition for roles, since the workforce remains concentrated in metropolitan areas, per Optometry Australia’s research. Optometrists in saturated metro markets, especially newer graduates, may find more competition until the market settles.

How optometrist salaries compare to other healthcare roles in Australia

It’s useful to see optometry pay next to other Australian healthcare roles that also require registration and ongoing study.

On this data, optometry sits mid-pack among allied and vision-health roles, ahead of physiotherapy and orthoptics and broadly level with audiology. Training as a dentist takes longer, and dentist salaries in Australia typically run considerably higher, while GP earnings are harder to compare directly, since many GPs bill through Medicare as contractors rather than draw a fixed salary.

How to negotiate your salary as an optometrist in Australia

If you’re preparing to negotiate, our guide on how to ask for a pay rise covers the general principles that apply in most Australian workplaces, plus a few sector-specific points worth knowing.

Public-sector pay is usually set through enterprise bargaining rather than one-to-one negotiation, so your leverage sits more with your union or professional body than a single conversation. In corporate and independent settings, alongside salary benchmarks for your role, prepare a list of your achievements and, wherever possible, back this up with quantifiable data such as patient volumes.

Total compensation matters as much as base pay: the Superannuation Guarantee, the compulsory employer super contribution, sits at 12% of ordinary time earnings from 1 July 2025, and every employee keeps the minimum protections in the Fair Work Act and National Employment Standards regardless of what’s negotiated on top.

FAQs

What is the average optometrist salary in Australia?

Glassdoor Australia currently estimates optometrist base pay at around $85,000-$110,000 a year, with an average base salary of roughly $95,000-$100,000. Entry-level pay typically sits toward the lower end of this range, while experienced optometrists and practice owners can earn considerably more, particularly in some regional areas.

What is the highest possible salary for an optometrist in Australia?

There’s no fixed maximum salary for an optometrist in Australia. Earnings vary considerably by location, experience, employer, and whether the optometrist owns or has an interest in a practice. Some regional SEEK-listed locations currently average $120,000-$140,000, well above the national benchmark.

Do optometrists earn more in rural areas than in cities?

Some regional and rural roles do come with higher pay, sign-on bonuses, or relocation support, since the optometrist workforce is relatively concentrated in metropolitan areas. City roles can offer higher patient volumes, but this isn’t a blanket rule – it varies by specific location and employer, so check current listings for your destination.

How does an optometrist’s salary compare to a GP’s in Australia?

GPs typically earn more than optometrists, though the comparison isn’t exact: many GPs are paid through Medicare billings as contractors, so their take-home pay varies with patient load in a way a salaried optometrist’s doesn’t.

Do I need to be registered to work as an optometrist in Australia?

Yes. All practising optometrists must be registered with the Optometry Board of Australia, via Ahpra. Overseas-trained optometrists generally need an OCANZ assessment first, and all registered optometrists must meet ongoing CPD requirements to keep practising.

Is optometry still a good career choice in Australia in 2026?

For many, yes, particularly with a therapeutic endorsement or a willingness to work regionally, where demand remains strong. Graduate numbers in major cities are rising faster than roles, though, so new graduates may find the metro market more competitive than before.

Key takeaways

• Glassdoor Australia estimates optometrist base pay at $85,000-$110,000 a year, averaging roughly $95,000-$100,000 – a more directly sourced benchmark than SEEK’s current data supports for a single national figure.
• Location, experience, practice setting, and specialisation, particularly a therapeutic endorsement, matter more to your pay than years in the role alone.
• Registration requires Ahpra approval through the Optometry Board of Australia; overseas-trained optometrists typically need an OCANZ assessment first.
• Some regional and remote locations report notably higher SEEK averages than major metro hubs – Kalgoorlie currently averages around $140,000, against $115,000 in Brisbane – though this varies by specific location rather than following a simple state-by-state rule.

Optometry Australia says Australia currently has an overall oversupply of optometrists relative to demand, alongside geographic maldistribution that leaves some regional and rural communities relatively underserved. If you’re an optometrist moving to Australia and need to send money home while you settle in, Remitly can help.