Optometrists

Median salary

$136,570

Average salary

$141,550

Employment

42,790

Projected growth

8% growth

Annual openings

2,400

Typical entry education

Doctoral or professional degree

What Optometrists Do

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.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: None
Self-employed: 11.5%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 5 of 5

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

Experience: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience.
Education: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Job training: Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Medicine and Dentistryimportance 4.8/5
Biologyimportance 4.5/5
Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 4.4/5
English Languageimportance 3.9/5
Mathematicsimportance 3.6/5
Education and Trainingimportance 3.6/5
Therapy and Counselingimportance 3.5/5
Psychologyimportance 3.5/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams5.0/5
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled5.0/5
E-Mail4.9/5
Contact With Others4.8/5
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.8/5
Freedom to Make Decisions4.7/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Fire Inspectors and Investigators98% skill match
Dietetic Technicians97% skill match
Animal Trainers97% skill match
Chiropractors97% skill match
Medical Dosimetrists96% skill match
Conservation Scientists96% skill match
Detectives and Criminal Investigators96% skill match
Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors96% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.9/5
Coordinationimportance 3.4/5
Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.4/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.4/5
Persuasionimportance 3.3/5
Instructingimportance 3.3/5
Service Orientationimportance 3.3/5
Time Managementimportance 3.3/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

In-Demand Technologies

Web browser software

Other Software Used

Accra Med Software Filopto
AltaPoint Data Systems AltaPoint Vision
Babcock Winx Pro
Compulink Business Systems Eyecare Advantage
Digital Healthcare OptoMize
First Insight E-Z Frame
First Insight MaximEyes
HealthLine Systems Eyecom

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Attention to Detail
Dependability
Cautiousness
Integrity
Intellectual Curiosity
Cooperation
Empathy

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

InvestigativeHigh
SocialHigh
RealisticMedium
ConventionalMedium
EnterprisingLow
ArtisticLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.