Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
What does a Optometrists salary really buy you in Texas?
Texas is 2.5% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Texas's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 97.5, meaning prices are 2.5% lower the national average. A Optometrists earning $126,000 in Texas has the equivalent purchasing power of $129,230 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Texas's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $54,180 | $55,569 | +$1,389 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $101,700 | $104,307 | +$2,607 |
| Median (P50) | $126,000 | $129,230 | +$3,230 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $155,090 | $159,066 | +$3,976 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $164,420 | $168,635 | +$4,215 |
Texas's cost of living is close to the national average, so $126,000 keeps most of its value at $129,230 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
With an RPP of 97.5, Texas is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Optometrists is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After adjusting for Texas's cost of living, $126,000 nominal nets out to $129,231 in real purchasing power — a small 2.6% gain. The state's cost profile is close enough to average that COL alone shouldn't drive location decisions for this Optometrists.
Texas's rank of #37 of 51 states means real purchasing power for Optometrists trails the national half-way line.
Where does Optometrists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Texas ranks #37 out of 51 states for Optometrists after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Optometrists take-home pay in Texas after taxes →
A Optometrists in Texas earns a median salary of $126,000 per year. After adjusting for Texas's cost of living (RPP=97.5), the real purchasing power is $129,230 — a +2.6% difference.
Texas's cost of living is 2.5% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Texas is 97.5 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Optometrists in Texas: $126,000 x (100 / 97.5) = $129,230. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Optometrists in Texas enjoys 2.6% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.