Home Orthoptist Salary
Orthoptist salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an orthoptist is $91,000 per annum, before tax, up $19,400 since 2018.
What an orthoptist earns depends heavily on the setting: public hospital roles are paid under the relevant state health award, with increments for years of experience and qualifications, while private practice pay is negotiated with the clinic. Experienced orthoptists who take on clinic coordination, teaching or specialised paediatric and neuro-ophthalmology work tend to earn more, and part-time hours are common, which affects annual figures.
Roles that pay more than orthoptist
The largest typical pay rise is $3,600 a year, moving into Respiratory and Sleep Scientist.
- Respiratory and Sleep Scientist+$3,600/yr
How to negotiate a higher orthoptist salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time orthoptist salary is $91,000; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Clinical assessment and treatment and Patient care and support tend to command a premium over general orthoptist experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Respiratory and Sleep Scientist pays a typical $3,600 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Orthoptist salary questions
How much do orthoptists earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an orthoptist is $91,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is orthoptist pay rising or falling?
The median orthoptist salary is up $19,400 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than orthoptist?
Respiratory and Sleep Scientist pays a typical $3,600 a year more and draws on similar skills to orthoptist.