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Optometry

Instructional content is defined in code 51.1701.

Types of Degrees Optometry Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Optometry have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	8
Doctor’s Degree	1,752

What Optometry Majors Need to Know

Studies in Optometry build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Optometry graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Optometry emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set developed in a Optometry program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4 / 5; level 4 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Optometry graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.8 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.8 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.8 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.7 / 7
Getting Information	4.7 / 7
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	4.6 / 7
Processing Information	4.5 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.5 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.5 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.3 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Optometry professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Mozilla Firefox	Internet browser software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
First Insight E-Z Frame	Medical software	—
Microsoft Edge	Internet browser software	✓
Microsoft SQL Server	Data base user interface and query software	—
Intuit QuickBooks	Accounting software	—
AltaPoint Data Systems AltaPoint Vision	Medical software	—
OfficeMate Software Solutions ExamWRITER	Medical software	—
Prima Systems OPTIX	Medical software	—
Operational Data Store ODS software	Data base user interface and query software	—
OfficeMate Software Solutions OfficeMate	Medical software	—
Insight Software My Vision Express	Medical software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Optometry graduates include:

• Optometry Doctor (OD)
• Therapeutic Optometrist
• Optometrist

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	95.2%
First professional degree	4.8%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Optometry?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 69.3% of Optometry degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1,220	69.3%
Men	540	30.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Optometry graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	863	49.0%
Asian	442	25.1%
Hispanic or Latino	137	7.8%
Black or African American	55	3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	6	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.1%
Two or More Races	40	2.3%
Race Unknown	63	3.6%
International Students	153	8.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Optometry Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Optometry graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$101,062
4 years	$110,646
5 years	$120,995

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $120,995 — roughly 20% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Optometry Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Optometry graduates earn a median of $110,646 four years after completion — roughly 191% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{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.