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Optometric Support Services

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 51.1801 - 51.1899.

Types of Degrees Optometric Support Services Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Optometric Support Services can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	156
Associate’s Degree	407
Bachelor’s Degree	7
Master’s Degree	172

What Optometric Support Services Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Optometric Support Services emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Optometric Support Services graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Optometric Support Services emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Optometric Support Services program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Service Orientation — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Optometric Support Services careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Optometric Support Services graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	4.7 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.5 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Working with Computers	4.2 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Optometric Support Services professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
iChartPlus	Medical software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
ezChartWriter	Medical software	—
AcuityPro	Medical software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
NaviNet Open	Medical software	—
EyeMD EMR Healthcare Systems EyeMD EMR	Medical software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Optometric Support Services graduates include:

• Eyecare Advisor
• Ophthalmic Tech (Ophthalmic Technician)
• Ophthalmic Scribe
• Retinal Angiographer
• Ophthalmic Diagnostic Sonographer
• Ophthalmic Aide
• Ophthalmology Assistant
• Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT)
• Certified Ophthalmic Technician-Surgical Assistant (COT-SA)
• Certified Ophthalmic Surgical Assistant
• Optometric Assistant
• Ophthalmology Technician (Ophthalmology Tech)
• Ophthalmic Medical Assistant
• Paraoptometric
• Ocular Care Technician (Ocular Care Tech)

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Optometric Support Services graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	54.1%
Postsecondary certificate	26.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	15.1%
Some college courses	4.4%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Optometric Support Services?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 78.2% of Optometric Support Services degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	580	78.2%
Men	162	21.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Optometric Support Services graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	230	31.0%
Asian	37	5.0%
Hispanic or Latino	334	45.0%
Black or African American	86	11.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native	7	0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.1%
Two or More Races	16	2.2%
Race Unknown	11	1.5%
International Students	20	2.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Optometric Support Services Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Optometric Support Services graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$34,118
4 years	$36,016
5 years	$38,680

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $38,680 — roughly 13% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Optometric Support Services Programs

Online study are documented by IPEDS for Optometric Support Services. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	2	1

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Optometric Support Services Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Optometric Support Services graduates earn a median of $36,016 four years after completion — about 5% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing	311,372
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants	99,987
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions	90,379
Health and Medical Administrative Services	90,166
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services	80,693
Public Health	41,086
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions	33,946
Medicine	29,737
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions	29,603
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions	24,761
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services	23,250
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions	20,443

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.