Optician Salary Calculator UK

Optometrist, dispensing optician and clinical director salaries with take-home pay after tax

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Your Optician Salary Estimate

Estimated Salary Range
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* Take-home calculated using 2025/26 PAYE rates. Personal allowance £12,570. Basic rate 20%, Higher rate 40%. Employee NI: 8% on £12,570–£50,270, 2% above. No pension or student loan deductions included.

Optician Salary Ranges UK 2025/26

RoleSalary RangeTake-Home (approx/month)
Pre-registration Optometrist£26,000 – £32,000~£1,830/month
Newly Qualified Optometrist£35,000 – £45,000~£2,580/month
Experienced Optometrist (3–7yr)£45,000 – £65,000~£3,200/month
Senior / Advanced Optometrist£55,000 – £78,000~£3,700/month
Clinical Director£55,000 – £85,000~£3,900/month
Dispensing Optician£22,000 – £38,000~£2,200/month
Contact Lens Optician£35,000 – £52,000~£2,850/month
Practice Manager£28,000 – £50,000~£2,700/month
Locum Optometrist£400 – £700/day~£5,500–£9,500/month est.

Salaries are for employed positions. Specsavers store directors/partners can earn significantly more as practice owners sharing in profits. NHS hospital band equivalents are shown below.

NHS Pay Scales for Optometrists 2025/26

Hospital optometrists employed directly by NHS Trusts are paid on Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales:

NHS BandRolePay Range 2025/26
Band 5Pre-registration / Support roles£29,970 – £36,483
Band 6Newly qualified optometrist£37,338 – £44,962
Band 7Experienced / Specialist optometrist£46,148 – £52,809
Band 8aAdvanced Practitioner£53,755 – £60,504
Band 8bConsultant Optometrist / Clinical Lead£62,215 – £72,293
Band 8c/dDirector level / Highly specialist£74,290 – £100,990+

NHS figures above are for England 2025/26. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have separate but broadly comparable pay scales. NHS also provides access to the NHS Pension Scheme, one of the best employer pensions in the UK.

NHS vs Private: What's the Real Difference?

NHS Hospital Optometrist

  • Defined benefit NHS Pension (20–27% employer contribution)
  • Job security and clear pay progression
  • Annual leave 27–33 days + bank holidays
  • Access to NHS CPD funding
  • Lower base salary vs community private
  • Mostly clinical work — less retail pressure

Private / Community Optometry

  • Higher base salary at experienced level
  • Bonus and incentive schemes common
  • Partnership / ownership opportunities (Specsavers)
  • More varied work — NHS + private mix
  • Defined contribution pension (less generous)
  • Commercial pressure and targets in some practices

Locum Optometrist Rates UK 2025

Specialism / ExperienceDay Rate RangeAnnual Equivalent
Newly qualified optometrist (locum)£350 – £450/day£70,000 – £90,000
Experienced optometrist (locum)£450 – £600/day£90,000 – £120,000
Specialist (glaucoma/paeds/low vision)£550 – £750/day£110,000 – £150,000
Hospital locum optometrist£400 – £650/day£80,000 – £130,000
Independent prescriber locum£500 – £800/day£100,000 – £160,000

Locum rates are gross. Deduct GOC registration (£670/year), indemnity insurance (£500–£1,500/year), travel and accommodation, accountancy fees, and private pension contributions when comparing to employed salaries.

Specialist Optometry Roles and Pay Premiums

Specialist AreaAdditional SalaryQualification Required
Low Vision Specialist+£5,000 – £12,000Postgraduate certificate
Paediatric Optometry+£5,000 – £10,000Postgraduate training
Glaucoma Specialist+£6,000 – £15,000Independent Prescribing (IP)
Medical Retina+£8,000 – £15,000Specialist training + IP
Independent Prescriber (IP)+£3,000 – £10,000IP qualification (1 year)
Contact Lens Specialist+£3,000 – £8,000Contact Lens Certificate
Orthokeratology+£5,000 – £12,000Specialist CL training

Optometry Career Pathway

Optical Assistant
→
Dispensing Optician Student
→
Qualified DO
→
Pre-reg Optometrist
→
Newly Qualified OD
→
Experienced OD
→
Specialist / Clinical Director

The optometry degree (MOptom or BSc + pre-reg) takes 4–5 years. Independent prescribing qualifications add a further year. GOC registration is required before practicing. CPD of 36 hours per registration cycle (currently 3 years) is mandatory for all registered opticians and optometrists.

GOC Registration Requirements

Corporate Chain vs Independent Practice: Pay Comparison

Employer TypeOptometrist SalaryDispensing OpticianBenefits
Specsavers£38,000 – £58,000£25,000 – £38,000Partnership scheme, staff discounts
Boots Opticians£40,000 – £58,000£24,000 – £36,000Health plan, retail discounts
Vision Express£38,000 – £55,000£22,000 – £34,000Bonus scheme, discounts
Independent Practice (employed)£40,000 – £70,000£25,000 – £42,000Variable — often more autonomy
NHS Hospital (AfC)£37,338 – £72,293+£29,970 – £44,962Excellent NHS pension
Private Hospital / Clinic£45,000 – £80,000£28,000 – £48,000Private healthcare, bonus

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average optometrist salary in the UK?
The average qualified optometrist in the UK earns between £45,000 and £65,000 per year. Newly qualified optometrists typically start at £35,000–£45,000. Experienced optometrists at corporate chains (Specsavers, Boots, Vision Express) earn £40,000–£60,000. Clinical directors can earn £55,000–£85,000. London optometrists typically earn 25–30% more than the national average.
How much do locum optometrists earn in the UK?
Locum optometrists in the UK typically earn £400–£700 per day, with specialist or experienced locums commanding up to £800/day or more. At 200 working days per year, that equates to £80,000–£160,000 gross. However, locums must fund their own GOC registration (£670/year), indemnity insurance, travel costs, pension contributions and accountancy fees — reducing the net uplift compared to employed positions.
Is optometry NHS or privately paid in the UK?
Most optometrists in the UK work in the community (high street practices), delivering NHS eye examinations under General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) contracts alongside private services. Hospital optometrists are employed directly by NHS Trusts on Agenda for Change pay scales (Band 6–7 for newly qualified, Band 8a–b for advanced/specialist roles). Community optometrists are self-employed contractors or employed by practices, not directly by the NHS.
What is the difference between an optometrist and a dispensing optician?
An optometrist (OD) holds a degree-level qualification and is able to examine eyes, diagnose and manage conditions, and prescribe glasses and contact lenses. A dispensing optician (DO) is qualified to interpret prescriptions and dispense spectacles and contact lenses but cannot carry out eye examinations or prescribe independently. Optometrists undertake a 3–4 year degree plus a pre-registration year; dispensing opticians complete a 2–3 year qualification. Both must register with the GOC.
Do optometrists need to register with GOC?
Yes. All optometrists and dispensing opticians in the UK must be registered with the General Optical Council (GOC) to practice legally. Registration requires completing an approved qualification, passing the GOC registration assessment, paying the annual registration fee (£670 for optometrists in 2025), maintaining 36 hours of CPD per 3-year registration cycle, and holding appropriate professional indemnity insurance. Practising without registration is a criminal offence.
How much can an optometrist earn in a specialist role?
Specialist optometrists in areas such as low vision, paediatrics, glaucoma monitoring or medical retina can earn £5,000–£15,000 more than their generalist peers. Advanced practice optometrists in hospital settings working under enhanced scope of practice protocols can reach NHS Band 8a–8b pay scales (£53,755–£72,293). Independent prescribers (IP qualification) are particularly valued and typically command higher salaries or locum rates.
Is Specsavers, Boots or Vision Express best paid for optometrists?
Salaries vary by location, experience and role type. Specsavers is notable for its partnership/joint venture model, where store directors share in practice profits — high-performing partners can earn significantly more than an employed optometrist salary. Boots and Vision Express typically offer competitive employed salaries of £38,000–£58,000 with structured benefit packages. Independent practices vary widely but can offer more clinical autonomy and sometimes higher pay for experienced optometrists in desirable locations.
What is the NHS pay scale for an optometrist?
Hospital optometrists employed by NHS Trusts are typically on Agenda for Change Band 6 (£37,338–£44,962) when newly qualified, progressing to Band 7 (£46,148–£52,809) for specialist roles. Advanced Practitioners can reach Band 8a (£53,755–£60,504) or 8b (£62,215–£72,293). These figures are for England 2025/26. The NHS also offers the NHS Pension Scheme, a defined benefit (career average) pension with employer contributions of approximately 20.6% of salary — one of the best workplace pensions available in the UK.

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Mustafa Bilgic — Financial Content Specialist
Mustafa researches and writes UK healthcare and professional salary guides. Optometry salary data is sourced from the College of Optometrists, GOC, NHS Agenda for Change pay scales, AOP salary surveys and ONS ASHE 2025.