Optometrist
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Optometrist occupation series (code 0662): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
With 1,456 employees (0.1% of the federal civilian workforce), Optometrist ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group family. Its average salary of $159,722 pays well above the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 1,456
- Share of workforce
- 0.1%
- Avg salary
- $159,722
- Avg tenure
- 11.2 yrs
FedScope read on Optometrist (dense series)
Federal agencies employ 1,456 people in the Optometrist occupation (OPM code 0662), accounting for 0.1% of the total federal civilian workforce of 1,953,300 for the June 2026 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved sideways by 0.0% versus the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.
Optometrist pays $159,722 per year on average, moving up 2.2% from the prior period (a broad shift as locality pay tables and grade-level adjustments moved through the workforce). Employees in this role stay an average of 11.2 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.
Code 06, the Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group family, is where the federal government classifies Optometrist alongside 44 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Optometrist postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group family.
Within the Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group family, Optometrist ranks #26 of 45 by headcount, accounting for 0.4% of the family's combined 339,162 employees. Its average salary ranks in the top half (87th percentile) of pay among Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group occupations.
Salary context · rich-pay series
How Optometrist pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$159,722
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
+36.1%
Where Optometrist ranks on rich federal pay
Its average salary of $159,722 is higher than 94% of federal occupation series (508 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Optometrist sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Optometrist ranks higher than 94%.
Related Occupations in Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse | 106,218 | $132,267 | 10.2 yrs |
| Medical Support Assistance | 39,856 | $58,279 | 8.2 yrs |
| Medical Officer | 34,687 | $301,569 | 11.6 yrs |
| General Health Science | 17,434 | $133,765 | 11.9 yrs |
| Practical Nurse | 16,755 | $75,898 | 10.4 yrs |
| Pharmacist | 14,529 | $167,390 | 11.1 yrs |
| Nursing Assistant | 14,498 | $55,851 | 7.8 yrs |
| Health Aid and Technician | 12,490 | $61,276 | 10.8 yrs |
| Health System Specialist | 7,966 | $110,534 | 15.9 yrs |
| Pharmacy Technician | 7,658 | $70,794 | 9.5 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this dense headcount
Two peer sets for Optometrist outside the Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar dense headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (1,456 here).
Similar rich average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($159,722 here).
Key takeaways
- Optometrist pays well above the federal average by 36.1% ($159,722 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 94th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 1,456 employees, 0.1% of the federal civilian workforce.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Optometrist ranks #179 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Within the Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group family, Optometrist ranks #26 of 45 by headcount, accounting for 0.4% of the family's combined 339,162 employees.
OPM FedScope and Federal Workforce Data figures are federal civilian headcounts, average salaries, and length-of-service statistics - not job-quality scores, hiring advice, or a live vacancy listing. A larger or higher-paid agency is not a better employer.