Optometrist salary Australia: what the official data shows
If you're looking for a single, authoritative figure for an optometrist's salary in Australia, the short answer is that no such number is published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics or Jobs and Skills Australia. The most recent data from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (August 2025) does not produce a reliable median for optometrists and orthoptists – it is marked as 'N/A' because the sample size is too small. That means we cannot point to a typical weekly or yearly pay packet for the profession.
What we do have are minimum wage rates under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (HPSS Award), updated from 1 October 2026 following a Fair Work Commission review. These rates are the legal floor, not a reflection of what most optometrists earn. Many optometrists are employed under individual contracts or enterprise agreements that pay above the award.
The national context: where the line sits
Before looking at optometrist-specific figures, it helps to know the national benchmarks. The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026 puts full-time adult ordinary-time earnings at $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year (multiplied by 52). This is the figure used by Average line as the national full-time average. The median full-time adult earnings (from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey, August 2025) are lower at about $90,532 per year, reflecting the fact that high earners pull the average up. For all employees (including part-time), the median is about $74,100 per year.
The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week on a 38-hour week, or about $52,255 per year. Award minimums (including the HPSS Award) rose by 4.75% from that date.
Place a salary on the line to see how any figure compares to these benchmarks.
Optometrist award minimums from 1 October 2026
The HPSS Award now uses a classification system based on the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level and years of professional experience. Optometrists are provisionally classified at AQF Level 9 (master's degree), but the Fair Work Commission has not made a final determination. The following minimum weekly and hourly rates apply from the first full pay period on or after 1 October 2026:
| Classification | Weekly minimum | Hourly minimum | Annual equivalent (× 52) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 – first year | $1,444.90 | $38.02 | $75,134.80 |
| Level 1 – second to third year | $1,545.20 | $40.66 | $80,350.40 |
| Level 1 – fourth to sixth year | $1,659.30 | $43.67 | $86,283.60 |
| Level 1 – seventh year onwards | $1,755.00 | $46.18 | $91,260.00 |
| Level 2.1 | $1,945.40 | $51.19 | $101,160.80 |
| Level 2.2 | $1,983.20 | $52.19 | $103,126.40 |
| Level 3 | $1,983.20 | $52.19 | $103,126.40 |
| Level 4 | $2,499.10 | $65.77 | $129,953.20 |
These are minimum rates, not recommended or typical salaries. Progression through Level 1 is based on years of professional experience, including with previous employers.
How do these minimums compare to the national average?
- A first-year optometrist on the award minimum ($75,135 per year) earns about $33,217 less than the national full-time average ($108,352).
- An optometrist at Level 1 seventh year onwards ($91,260) is still below the national average but above the national full-time median ($90,532).
- At Level 2.1 ($101,161), the salary is below the national average but above the median.
- Only at Level 4 ($129,953) does the minimum exceed both the average and the median.
Remember, these are floors. Actual optometrist salaries may be higher, especially in private practice or for experienced practitioners. The ABS data for all health professionals shows a full-time adult average ordinary-time earnings of about $2,263 per week in the public sector and $2,034 in the private sector (May 2026), but that includes many roles beyond optometry.
State-by-state averages for context
The national full-time average varies by state and territory. The ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, gives these annualised figures for full-time adult ordinary-time earnings:
- New South Wales: $109,658
- Victoria: $106,137
- Queensland: $106,064
- South Australia: $102,450
- Western Australia: $115,825
- Tasmania: $96,008
- Northern Territory: $103,173
- Australian Capital Territory: $119,090
An optometrist on the award minimum in any state would be below the state average except possibly at Level 4. States and territories has more detail.
Why no published median for optometrists?
Jobs and Skills Australia explains that median weekly earnings are not produced for occupations where the relative standard error is 25% or higher. For optometrists and orthoptists (ANZSCO 2514), the sample in the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey is too small to give a reliable estimate. This is common for occupations with relatively few employees. The only way to get a sense of typical pay is through industry surveys or job advertisements, but those are not official statistics.
Tax on optometrist salaries
For the 2026–27 income year, resident tax rates are:
- Nil on the first $18,200
- 15% on income from $18,201 to $45,000
- 30% on income from $45,001 to $135,000
- 37% on income from $135,001 to $190,000
- 45% on income above $190,000
Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (with possible reductions for low-income earners). An optometrist earning the Level 1 first-year minimum of $75,135 would pay about $12,580 in tax plus $1,503 Medicare levy, leaving about $61,052 after tax. At the Level 4 minimum of $129,953, tax and Medicare would be about $31,486, leaving about $98,467.
About this site explains how we calculate these comparisons.
The bottom line
Without a published median or average for optometrists, the best official guide is the HPSS Award minimums. Most optometrists likely earn above these rates, but by how much is not captured in national statistics. If you are an employer or employee, benchmarking against the award is a sensible starting point, but actual market rates may be higher, especially in metropolitan areas or for specialists.
Guides has more on interpreting award rates and salary data.