SOC 29-1041.00Bright outlook

    Optometrists

    Diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system.

    Median pay
    $136,570
    Growth
    +9.5%
    Much faster than average
    Openings a year
    2,000
    Typical education
    Doctoral or professional degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $74,870
    Median
    $136,570
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $202,180
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    42,790 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Optomet rists diagnose, treat, and manage diseases and conditions of the human eye and visual system. This career offers a median annual pay of $136,570, with opportunities in a rapidly growing healthcare field.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What optometrists do

    Job Zone 5: Extensive preparation

    Diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system. Examine eyes and visual system, diagnose problems or impairments, prescribe corrective lenses, and provide treatment. May prescribe therapeutic drugs to treat specific eye conditions.

    Most need a graduate degree, such as a master's, PhD, MD or JD.

    What the work is like

    Optometrists spend their days examining patients' eyes and visual systems to identify impairments, diseases, or other problems. They prescribe corrective lenses and may administer therapeutic drugs for specific eye conditions. This profession heavily involves assisting and caring for others, making critical decisions, and working directly with the public. To succeed, practitioners must gather and analyze complex data, interpret medical information for their patients, and keep their professional knowledge up to date.

    These professionals rely on strong skills in active listening, critical thinking, science, and complex problem solving. They must communicate clearly through speaking and writing while showing social perceptiveness. Essential knowledge areas include medicine, biology, therapy, psychology, and customer service. Because they work closely with patients, optometrists need to demonstrate key work styles such as attention to detail, dependability, empathy, and integrity. Their primary interest area is investigative, meaning they enjoy searching for facts and solving mental puzzles to figure out the best treatment plans.

    How to get there

    Entering this field requires extensive academic preparation. The typical educational path is earning a doctoral or professional degree, and most individuals in this career hold a graduate degree. Students preparing for this profession generally major in optometry.

    In addition to completing their advanced degree, aspiring practitioners should be aware of professional credentials. For instance, the Optometric Assistant Online National Certification is offered by American Allied Health. Furthermore, some states list a license for this work, so candidates must check the specific legal requirements in the region where they plan to practice.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for optometrists was $136,570. This means half of the workers in this field earned more than this amount, and half earned less. The lowest 10% of earners made less than $74,870, while the highest 10% earned more than $202,180.

    With 42,790 people employed in this field, the profession is expanding rapidly. Employment is projected to grow by 9.5% from 2025 to 2035, a rate that is much faster than average. This growth is expected to result in approximately 2,000 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    63 / 100
    Investigative (I) · strongest
    80 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    10 / 100
    Social (S)
    67 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    21 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    49 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code ISR. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Assisting and Caring for Others
    95
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    95
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    95
    Documenting/Recording Information
    93
    Getting Information
    92
    Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
    89
    Processing Information
    89
    Analyzing Data or Information
    88
    Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
    86
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    82
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Critical Thinking
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Speaking
    • Writing
    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Science
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Coordination
    • Judgment and Decision Making

    Knowledge

    • Medicine and Dentistry
    • Biology
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • English Language
    • Mathematics
    • Education and Training
    • Therapy and Counseling
    • Psychology
    • Administration and Management
    • Economics and Accounting

    Abilities

    • Oral Expression
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Near Vision
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Written Comprehension
    • Flexibility of Closure
    • Information Ordering
    • Written Expression

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cautiousness
    • Integrity
    • Intellectual Curiosity
    • Cooperation
    • Empathy
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Sincerity
    • Social Orientation

    Also called

    Optometrist · Optometry Doctor (OD) · Therapeutic Optometrist

    Career pathway

    From your interests to optometrists

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Optometrists$136,570 median pay

    3. Majors

      • Optometry15 colleges

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What optometrists may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Optometry

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    54 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about optometrists

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What is the typical education required to become an optometrist?

    To enter this career, you typically need a doctoral or professional degree. Most people in this field complete a graduate program, majoring specifically in optometry.

    How fast is employment in this field expected to grow?

    Employment for optometrists is projected to grow by 9.5% from 2025 to 2035. This rate of growth is considered much faster than the average for all occupations.

    Do optometrists need a license to practice?

    Yes, some states list a license for this work. Requirements can vary, so it is important to verify the specific regulations in your state.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.