Local market data · Optometrists · Washington
AI for optometrists in Washington
The Washington metro area had 386 optometrists in 2022, the 8th most of 385 US metros and 2% of all in the country. They employed 2,720 people at an average of $57,578 a year. 78% 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 Washington vs the US
| Washington metro | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses | 386 | 22,781 |
| People employed | 2,720 | 148,762 |
| Average staff per business | 7.0 | 6.5 |
| Average yearly pay per employee | $57,578 | $46,533 |
| Share with fewer than 10 staff | 78% | 81% |
Pay here is 24% higher than the national average for optometrists, so every hour of staff time costs more to spend on admin. The average optometry practice here has 7.0 people on payroll, 8% higher than the US figure of 6.5.
How big optometrists in Washington are
Businesses with paid employees, by number of employees, March 2022.
Optometrists by county in the Washington area
Fairfax County has the most, with 103 of the metro's 386 (27%). Among the 10 big metros on this page, Washington ranks 2nd for average pay and 10th for the share of small firms.
| County | Businesses | Employees | Avg pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax County | 103 | 691 | $69,205 |
| Montgomery County | 57 | 420 | $55,874 |
| Prince George's County | 39 | 294 | $55,299 |
| Loudoun County | 35 | 236 | $47,258 |
| Prince William County | 31 | 192 | $53,016 |
| District of Columbia | 24 | 167 | $58,335 |
| Frederick County | 18 | 117 | $47,179 |
| Arlington County | 15 | 140 | $52,786 |
| Spotsylvania County | 10 | 72 | $57,792 |
| Charles County | 8 | 51 | $54,157 |
| Fairfax city | 8 | 61 | $61,361 |
| Fredericksburg city | 8 | 67 | $50,209 |
6 smaller counties not shown. 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 Washington
Change any number. The starting values are the Washington averages above; the hours and the share are yours to set.
Those hours cost you$78,400 a year
The share you would hand off$23,520 a year
Hours your team gets back840 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 |
| Chicago | 664 | $46,201 | 4th |
| Miami | 537 | $50,535 | 6th |
| Dallas | 681 | $50,290 | 3rd |
| Houston | 631 | $47,384 | 5th |
| Atlanta | 460 | $48,455 | 7th |
| 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (23 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.