Pay by Role
Healthcare · Australia

Optometrist Salary in Sydney, NSW

The average optometrist in Sydney, NSW earns $165,859 per year — about $9,577 /mo after a simplified national tax estimate. Optometrists examine eyes, diagnose vision problems, and prescribe corrective lenses.

Showing amounts in USD (USD default; source data is AUD). FX as of Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:02:31 +0000. Convert currencies

After tax?

$114,722/yr

~31% effective national income tax on the median. Excludes most payroll/social levies and local taxes.

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Afford rent?

$1,652/mo 1BR

About 17% of estimated take-home — ~$6,058 leftover /mo after modeled costs. Modeled, not a listing.

Cost of living calculator →

Compared with…?

% vs Sydney median (FX-adjusted abroad).

Average salary
$165,859
gross / year
Est. take-home
$114,722
~31% effective tax
Hourly equivalent
$80.50
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
vs. Australia avg
-24%
below average

Gross salary figures come from public labour-market data. Take-home, rent, savings, inflation, and trends are simplified models for research — not payroll, listings, or immigration advice. Methodology.

Optometrist salary range in Sydney

Pay varies with experience, employer, and specialization. Here is the typical distribution for this role in Sydney, NSW.

$117,28110TH$138,10025TH$165,859MEDIAN$199,17075TH$234,56290TH
Estimated pay distribution — the curve peaks at the median and widens with the pay range.
PercentileAnnual salary
10th percentile (entry)$117,281
25th percentile$138,100
Median (50th)typical$165,859
75th percentile$199,170
90th percentile (senior)$234,562

How does your salary compare?

Enter what you earn (or an offer) to see where it ranks for a optometrist in Sydney, NSW.

Your percentile
50th

$165,859 puts you in the 50th percentile. You earn more than about 50% of optometrists in Sydney, NSW. That’s right around the typical pay for this role.

$117,281$165,859$234,562

Salary insights

A typical optometrist in Sydney, NSW earns about $239,000 a year and pays about 24% below the Australia average. Living costs sit near the global baseline (COL index 100). After a simplified tax estimate, typical rent, and everyday costs, a median earner might keep around $8,730 per month. Relative to the national median (a common remote/location-flexible benchmark), this city pays less by about 24%. An illustrative model tied to local inflation and the role’s outlook suggests pay has risen about 16% over the last few years. Treat every figure as an estimate for research — not a personal offer or immigration advice.

Data-grounded summary from this page’s pay, COL, tax, and trend models — not a generative essay unrelated to the figures.

Cost of living, rent & savings

Sydney’s cost of living is 100 vs. a baseline of 100 (US national average). After adjusting for local prices, the median optometrist salary is worth about $165,859 in baseline-priced terms.

Est. rent (1BR)
$1,652/mo
Other living costs
$1,853/mo
Savings potential
$6,058/mo after tax & costs

Rent and leftover use a COL-scaled single-adult model and the same simplified tax estimate as above (Australia resident income tax (2025–26); excludes Medicare levy.). Adjust assumptions in the COL calculator.

Inflation

Approximate recent consumer-price inflation in Australia is about 2.8% per year. Use the inflation calculator to adjust a past salary or offer for purchasing power.

Remote equivalent

The Australia national median for this role is about $219,295— a common benchmark for remote or location-flexible offers. Local Sydney pay is 24% lower.

Historical trend

Illustrative median pay over the last few years — about +16% across the window.

$143,444
2022
$148,718
2023
$154,200
2024
$159,960
2025
$165,859
2026

Illustrative model based on approximate inflation and the role’s long-term outlook — not a surveyed year-by-year history.

Visa information

Skills in Demand / employer nomination

Temporary and permanent skilled visas usually require an occupation on a skills list, skills assessment, and (for many streams) an employer sponsor.

Difficulty for typical skilled hires: moderate. General orientation only — confirm on the official Australia immigration site before relocating or accepting an offer.

Compare Optometrist pay

See how a optometrist stacks up against similar healthcare roles in Australia.

What’s your take-home?

Calculator opens with this page’s median ($165,859) and Australia tax model — tweak hours, period, or offer amount.

Optometrist salary in other Australia cities

Same role, different city — % gap is vs Sydney.

CityMedian
Newcastle, NSW$219,295/yr
Canberra, ACT$219,295/yr
Sunshine Coast, QLD$219,295/yr
Wollongong, NSW$219,295/yr
Hobart, TAS$219,295/yr
Darwin, NT$219,295/yr
Mackay, QLD$219,295/yr
Melbourne, VIC$154,062/yr

Optometrist salary in other countries

Capital/largest city sample for each market. % gap converts foreign medians into AUD before comparing with Sydney.

CountryLocal median
Indonesia flagIndonesiae.g. Jakarta$18,484/yr
Vietnam flagVietname.g. Hanoi$19,623/yr
Argentina flagArgentinae.g. Buenos Aires$19,673/yr
India flagIndiae.g. Mumbai$23,876/yr
Philippines flagPhilippinese.g. Quezon$24,857/yr
South Africa flagSouth Africae.g. Johannesburg$35,529/yr
Colombia flagColombiae.g. Bogotá$37,459/yr
Thailand flagThailande.g. Bangkok$38,992/yr
Brazil flagBrazile.g. São Paulo$45,778/yr
Turkey flagTurkeye.g. Istanbul$48,484/yr

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Browse live job openings for this role, or close the skills gap that separates the median from the top percentiles.

Calculators and comparisons to dig into take-home pay, living costs, and period conversions.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average optometrist salary in Sydney, NSW?
The average optometrist salary in Sydney, NSW is about $239,000 per year, or roughly $116.00 per hour.
What is the salary range for a optometrist in Sydney, NSW?
Most optometrist salaries in Sydney, NSW fall between $169,000 (entry level) and $338,000 (senior level). The 25th–75th percentile band is $199,000 to $287,000.
How much does a optometrist make per month in Sydney, NSW?
A typical optometrist in Sydney, NSW earns about $19,900 per month before tax, based on the annual median of $239,000.
How does Sydney, NSW pay compare to the Australia average?
Sydney, NSW pays about 24% below the Australia average for a optometrist.
What is the cost-of-living-adjusted optometrist salary in Sydney, NSW?
After adjusting for local prices (cost-of-living index 100, where 100 is the US baseline), the median optometrist salary in Sydney, NSW is worth roughly $239,000 in US-baseline terms.
What skills do optometrists need?
Common skills for a optometrist include Eye exams, Diagnosis, Optics, Patient care, Precision. Actual requirements vary by employer and seniority.
Is optometrist a growing career?
Employment for optometrist roles is projected to change by about +9% over the next decade. Local demand in Sydney, NSW can differ from the national outlook.
What is take-home pay for a optometrist in Sydney, NSW?
A simplified national income-tax estimate puts median take-home near $165,312 per year (about $13,800 per month), or roughly 31% effective tax on the gross median. Real net pay varies with local taxes, benefits, and filing status.
How much rent might a optometrist pay in Sydney, NSW?
A modeled modest 1-bedroom runs about $2,380 per month in Sydney, NSW, scaled from a US baseline by the local cost-of-living index (100). Actual listings vary by neighborhood and size.
Where do these Sydney, NSW salary figures come from?
Figures on Pay by Role are aggregated from public labour-market salary APIs, shown in AUD, and refreshed periodically. They are estimates for informational purposes only and are not a guarantee of individual pay.