H-1B Optometrist Hiring Shows Modest Growth with Geographic Concentration
Explore H-1B visa filings for Optometrists. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 100 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 94% |
| Average Salary | $152,086 |
| Salary Range | $45,989 - $450,000 |
| Top Sponsor | Family Healthcare Network |
| Primary Location | New York |
Optometrists is one of the H-1B visa categories with 20 filings and an average salary of $144,399. Hiring for Optometrists on H-1B is relatively low, with only 20 positions reported. The majority of these positions are concentrated in New York and California. There's a notable increase in hiring from FY2023 to FY2025, suggesting a potential upward trend. The average salary offered is slightly below the median, indicating potential negotiation room for candidates.
| Total Filings | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 94% |
| Average Salary | $152,086 |
| Median Salary | $151,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $132,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $170,000 |
| Minimum Salary | $45,989 |
| Maximum Salary | $450,000 |
| 10th Percentile | $110,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $132,000 |
| Median (50th) | $151,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $170,000 |
| 90th Percentile | $185,399 |
| Average | $152,086 |
| Sample Size | 100 |
| Visa Class | Filings |
|---|---|
| H-1B | 95 |
| E-3 AUSTRALIAN | 4 |
| H-1B1 SINGAPORE | 1 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 100 |
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| FAMILY HEALTHCARE NETWORK | 5 | $167k |
| National Vision, Inc | 5 | $153k |
| Visionworks of America, Inc. | 4 | $170k |
| WARBY PARKER INC. | 3 | $168k |
| Crystal Clear Eye Associates of Florida, P.A. | 3 | $181k |
| Johns Hopkins University | 3 | $98k |
| UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI | 2 | $139k |
| State University of New York - College of Optometry | 2 | $109k |
| Henry Ford Health System | 2 | $122k |
| Doctor's Exchange of Indiana, P.C. | 2 | $152k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| New York | 21 |
| California | 15 |
| Florida | 8 |
| Washington | 7 |
| Massachusetts | 6 |
| Arizona | 5 |
| Illinois | 4 |
| Maryland | 4 |
| Indiana | 3 |
| North Carolina | 3 |
Focus your H-1B job search on states like New York and California, and be prepared to negotiate salary as the average offered is slightly below the median.
The average H-1B salary for Optometrists is $144,399, with a median of $150,000. The 25th-75th percentile range is $123,406 to $170,000.
Top H-1B sponsors for Optometrists include FAMILY HEALTHCARE NETWORK, Rochester General Hospital, Visionworks of America, Inc., EYE Wisconsin, LLC, Doctor's Exchange of Indiana, P.C.. A total of 17 employers have filed for this role.
There are 20 H-1B filings on record for Optometrists positions. 95.0% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Optometrists positions are New York (6), California (5), Wisconsin (2), Indiana (1), Illinois (1).
Yes, Optometrists is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 20 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Optometrists salaries range from $91,042 to $186,472. The median salary is $150,000.
The approval rate for Optometrists H-1B petitions is 95.0%. New York and California are the primary hubs for H-1B Optometrist roles.
The number of H-1B applications for Optometrists has significantly increased between FY2023 and FY2025.
Focus your H-1B job search on states like New York and California, and be prepared to negotiate salary as the average offered is slightly below the median.
The average salary for H-1B Optometrists is $144,399, while the median is $150,000.
The Optometrists occupation (SOC code 29-104100) is classified under the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The SOC system groups workers into occupational categories based on the type of work performed, providing a standardized framework for comparing wages, employment levels, and workforce trends across the United States.
Optometrists positions fall within the specialty occupation category required for H-1B visa sponsorship, meaning they typically require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in the specific specialty. Based on H-1B filing data, the most common education requirement for Optometrists positions is Not Specified (100 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 100 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Optometrists positions show an average offered salary of $152,086, with a range from $45,989 at the entry level to $450,000 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in New York (21 filings) and California (15 filings).
Career outlook for Optometrists professionals is closely tied to industry demand for specialized skills. Employers sponsoring H-1B workers for this role are demonstrating that they could not find sufficient qualified U.S. workers to fill these positions, which often signals strong demand and competitive compensation. Workers in this occupation may also be eligible for other visa categories including L-1 intracompany transfers, O-1 extraordinary ability visas, or employment-based green card sponsorship through the PERM process.
To sponsor a foreign worker for an H-1B visa in a Optometrists role, U.S. employers must satisfy several requirements established by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and enforced by both the Department of Labor (DOL) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):
The position must qualify as a "specialty occupation," meaning it requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific specialty directly related to the position. For Optometrists roles, H-1B filings indicate that employers most commonly require a Not Specified degree. USCIS evaluates whether the position itself, not just the employer's preference, genuinely requires specialized education.
Employers must pay H-1B workers at least the prevailing wage for the occupation in the geographic area of employment, as determined by the DOL. The prevailing wage is based on four skill levels (Level 1 through Level 4) that reflect the complexity of the job duties and required experience. For Optometrists positions, the average offered salary of $152,086 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 56.1%, with 88% of filings offering above the prevailing wage.
Before filing the H-1B petition, employers must obtain a certified LCA from the DOL. The LCA requires employers to attest to four conditions: (1) paying at least the prevailing wage or actual wage, whichever is higher; (2) providing working conditions that do not adversely affect similarly employed U.S. workers; (3) no strike or lockout at the worksite; and (4) proper notice of the filing to workers. The overall LCA approval rate for Optometrists positions is 94%.
The annual H-1B cap is set at 65,000 regular visas plus 20,000 for beneficiaries with U.S. master's degrees or higher (the "master's cap"). Certain employers, including institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and government research organizations, are exempt from the cap. Optometrists positions at cap-exempt employers can be filed at any time during the year, while cap-subject employers must participate in the annual H-1B lottery, typically held in March for the following fiscal year.
H-1B visas are initially granted for up to three years and can be extended for a maximum of six years total. Workers who have an approved I-140 immigrant petition (part of the green card process) may be eligible for extensions beyond the six-year limit under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC21). The average contract duration for Optometrists H-1B filings is approximately 35 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Optometrists positions.
| City | State | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Visalia | California | 4 |
| New York | New York | 4 |
| Rochester | New York | 3 |
| Brooklyn | New York | 3 |
| Paso Robles | California | 2 |
| Granger | Indiana | 2 |
| Buffalo | New York | 2 |
| Boston | Massachusetts | 2 |
| Lynnwood | Washington | 2 |
| San Antonio | Texas | 2 |