Optometrist.
Minneapolis.
$134,000
median salary, 5% above the national average
$113,000 to $166,000. Updated for 2026.
The numbers.
Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.
If you are evaluating a Optometrist offer in Minneapolis, MN, here is the reality: $113,000 to $166,000, with $134,000 as the midpoint. 5% above the national average. Practice ownership versus employment is the largest income differentiator for optometrists. Do not accept the first number.
Salary range
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How Minneapolis compares
Minneapolis, MN
$134,000
Cost of living: 5% above average
National Average
$128,000
Minneapolis is $6,000 above
What you should know
The Optometrist landscape in Minneapolis is not what most salary sites will tell you. Minneapolis is a Fortune 500 powerhouse with Target, UnitedHealth Group, Best Buy, and 3M headquartered in the metro. The city's strong corporate base creates consistent demand across finance, healthcare, retail tech, and supply chain roles. Quality of life is high, and employers offer competitive salaries to offset the cold winters. Practice ownership versus employment is the largest income differentiator for optometrists. States with expanded scope allowing therapeutic procedures and medical management increase earning potential. Optometrists specializing in ocular disease management, specialty contact lenses, or pediatric vision earn above those in routine refraction-only settings.
New associate optometrists start at $105,000 to $120,000 on base plus production models. Experienced ODs with strong patient loyalty earn $130,000 to $155,000 after five to seven years. Practice owners or partners in multi-doctor practices can reach $170,000 to $250,000 depending on revenue and overhead management. In Minneapolis, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Employed optometrists typically receive production bonuses of 15 to 25% above a base salary guarantee. Benefits include vision and health insurance, CE allowances, malpractice coverage, and optical frame discounts. Practice owners retain higher gross income but manage significant overhead. And on the tax side: minnesota's top income tax rate is 9.85%, one of the highest state rates. There is no city income tax in Minneapolis, but the state burden significantly reduces take home pay. When someone quotes you $134,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize retention risk when negotiating. Minneapolis employers know that remote opportunities from warmer, lower tax states are a constant competitive threat. The range for Optometrists in Minneapolis runs from $113,000 to $166,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
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Negotiating in Minneapolis
Emphasize retention risk when negotiating. Minneapolis employers know that remote opportunities from warmer, lower tax states are a constant competitive threat.