How much does an eye surgeon make?
a year · about $144 an hour
A typical eye surgeon in the United States makes $300,080 a year, about $144 an hour, about 5.9× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
Most weeks, they see patients in an office and examine and treat eye problems. On operating-room days, they perform delicate procedures such as cataract removal.
Did you know? In 2023, a team of 140+ surgeons transplanted a whole eye, but the patient could not see because doctors cannot yet regrow the optic nerve.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $100,180 and $489,710How do you become one?
In the U.S., finish four years each of college and medical school, pass USMLE or COMLEX exams, and get a state license. Then do a one-year internship and at least three years of eye-specialty residency; extra training is optional.
School needed: Graduate degree or long training
Good for people who like figuring things out and helping and teaching
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can differ with experience, extra qualifications or specialist training, the kind of workplace, and location. Hours and workload matter too: ophthalmologists who choose a shorter workweek usually earn less.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Rhode Island ($450,370), lowest in Kentucky ($101,940).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100,180 | $300,080 | $489,710 | about 9,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $450,370 | about 180 |
| New Hampshire | $404,330 | about 50 |
| California | $400,150 | about 820 |
| Florida | $399,440 | about 580 |
| Iowa | $394,900 | about 90 |
Official definition: Diagnose and perform surgery to treat and help prevent disorders and diseases of the eye. May also provide vision services for treatment including glasses and contacts. Excludes “Optometrists” (29-1041) and “Pediatric Surgeons” (29-1243).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.aao.org/eyenet/article/the-case-for-a-4-day-workweek-or-fore-day-workweek
- www.facs.org/for-medical-professionals/education/programs/so-you-want-to-be-a-su
- www.fsmb.org/u.s.-medical-regulatory-trends-and-actions/guide-to-medical-regulat
- www.aao.org/medical-students/practice-of-ophthalmology
- www.aao.org/eye-health/news/did-surgeons-just-transplant-whole-eye
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY