Local market data · Optometrists · Chicago
AI for optometrists in Chicago
The Chicago metro area had 664 optometrists in 2022, the 4th most of 385 US metros and 3% of all in the country. They employed 4,059 people at an average of $46,201 a year. 83% have fewer than 10 staff, so the same few people answer the phone, book, follow up and do the paperwork. Those are the jobs AI tools take on today.
Talk through your practice with the person who builds it
A free 30-minute call. You leave knowing which part of your optometry practice to hand to AI first, what we would build, and roughly how long it takes.
Optometrists in Chicago vs the US
| Chicago metro | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses | 664 | 22,781 |
| People employed | 4,059 | 148,762 |
| Average staff per business | 6.1 | 6.5 |
| Average yearly pay per employee | $46,201 | $46,533 |
| Share with fewer than 10 staff | 83% | 81% |
Pay here is about the same as the national average for optometrists, so an hour of admin costs about what it does elsewhere. The average optometry practice here has 6.1 people on payroll, 6% lower than the US figure of 6.5.
How big optometrists in Chicago are
Businesses with paid employees, by number of employees, March 2022.
Optometrists by county in the Chicago area
Cook County has the most, with 331 of the metro's 664 (50%). Among the 10 big metros on this page, Chicago ranks 9th for average pay and 7th for the share of small firms.
| County | Businesses | Employees | Avg pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cook County | 331 | 2,109 | $46,102 |
| DuPage County | 101 | 545 | $47,292 |
| Lake County | 50 | 296 | $47,595 |
| Will County | 48 | 308 | $40,140 |
| Lake County | 42 | 224 | $45,277 |
| McHenry County | 33 | 192 | $43,516 |
| Kane County | 24 | 140 | $51,393 |
| Porter County | 10 | 32 | $60,125 |
| DeKalb County | 9 | 40 | $51,450 |
| Kendall County | 9 | 98 | $51,204 |
| Grundy County | 5 | 50 | $41,840 |
Census withholds pay where few firms would make it identifiable.
Where AI helps a optometry practice first
An optometry practice gets the most from AI in recalls, phone calls and routine questions. Most patients are due for an exam every year or two, and many never rebook on their own. AI can remind them, answer the usual vision plan questions, and tell people when their glasses are ready. Exams and prescriptions stay with the doctor.
What your team's admin hours cost in Chicago
Change any number. The starting values are the Chicago averages above; the hours and the share are yours to set.
Those hours cost you$52,800 a year
The share you would hand off$15,840 a year
Hours your team gets back720 a year
See what we would build for thisGuides for optometrists, one job each
- Get more customers for optometrists
- Never miss a call for optometrists
- Follow up automatically for optometrists
- Booking and scheduling for optometrists
- More reviews for optometrists
- Marketing and content for optometrists
- Show up on Google and ChatGPT for optometrists
- Cut admin and paperwork for optometrists
- A dashboard that runs itself for optometrists
Optometrists in other big metros
| Metro | Businesses | Avg pay | Rank of 387 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 1,095 | $37,745 | 2nd |
| New York | 1,150 | $49,092 | 1st |
| Miami | 537 | $50,535 | 6th |
| Dallas | 681 | $50,290 | 3rd |
| Houston | 631 | $47,384 | 5th |
| Atlanta | 460 | $48,455 | 7th |
| Washington | 386 | $57,578 | 8th |
| Philadelphia | 350 | $53,643 | 11th |
| Boston | 288 | $58,161 | 13th |
Where these numbers come from
From the U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 (released 2024), industry code NAICS 621320 (Offices of optometrists), for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (13 counties). It counts businesses with paid employees in March 2022, so solo owners with no payroll are not in it. Average pay is total yearly payroll divided by employees. The calculator uses 50 working weeks and 2,080 hours a year. Page checked 2026-11-12.
Find the hours your practice can get back
A free 30-minute call. You leave knowing which part of your optometry practice to hand to AI first, what we would build, and roughly how long it takes.