# Optometrists

SOC 29-1041. Page: https://educationguide.com/careers/optometrists

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.

## Pay and outlook
- U.S. median wage $136,570 (middle half $109,400–$165,120; BLS May 2025)
- Ages 25-34: median $119,324; 100% hold a bachelor's or higher (Census ACS 2020-2024)
- Jobs 2025-35: 9.5%; ~2k openings a year; typical entry: Doctoral or professional degree

## Fields of degree of young workers (ages 25-34, bachelor's+)
- Biology: 43% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/biology)
- Physiology: 6% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/physiology)
- Psychology: 4% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/psychology)
- Biochemical Sciences: 4% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/biochemistry)
- Molecular Biology: 4% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/neuroscience, https://educationguide.com/degrees/cell-cellular-biology-and-anatomical-sciences)
- Nursing: 3% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/nursing)
- Chemistry: 3% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/chemistry)
- Multi-Disciplinary Or General Science: 2% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/biological-and-physical-sciences)
- Physical Fitness Parks Recreation And Leisure: 2% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/kinesiology-exercise-science, https://educationguide.com/degrees/parks-recreation-and-leisure-studies)
- General Medical And Health Services: 2% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/health-sciences)

## Median wage by state
- AK: $170,310
- AL: $145,090
- AR: $124,470
- AZ: $122,250
- CA: $136,300
- CO: $152,000
- CT: $150,340
- DC: $134,840
- DE: $161,270
- FL: $151,670
- GA: $128,830
- HI: $154,620
- IA: $125,380
- ID: $103,390
- IL: $145,620
- IN: $135,500
- KS: $138,580
- KY: $128,860
- LA: $118,060
- MA: $151,730
- MD: $165,840
- ME: $154,110
- MI: $135,650
- MN: $158,700
- MO: $133,810
- MS: $108,070
- MT: $104,280
- NC: $161,560
- ND: $132,110
- NE: $125,040
- NH: $125,560
- NJ: $159,040
- NM: $144,660
- NV: $135,650
- NY: $161,140
- OH: $134,850
- OK: $97,350
- OR: $132,020
- PA: $135,400
- PR: $132,790
- RI: $134,520
- SC: $145,950
- SD: $102,320
- TN: $134,170
- TX: $126,000
- UT: $119,070
- VA: $131,570
- VT: $137,290
- WA: $157,560
- WI: $139,720
- WV: $118,010
- WY: $111,400

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#careers

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0). O*NET data: CC BY 4.0, O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA).