Healthcare · Career brief

Optometrists

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Optometrists at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$136,570

Very high national median pay

2025 national median. Top 10% for pay among careers on ChooseField.

2Demand

9.5%

Strong projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Top 10% for growth among careers on ChooseField.

3Openings

2,000

Relatively fewer openings

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for openings.

4Route in

Professional degree

Long formal preparation is part of the path

Doctoral or professional degree. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Analytical

Problem-solving and analysis dominate the profile

Examine eyes, using observation, instruments, and pharmaceutical agents, to determine visual acuity and perception, focus, and coordination and to diagnose diseases and other…

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

The work routinely happens in close physical proximity to other people; personal space is limited.

ChooseField take

The strongest national signals are pay and growth; each ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if analytical work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a professional-degree path. Main tradeoff: The work routinely happens in close physical proximity to other people; personal space is limited.

Before choosing, compare:Pharmacist Veterinarian Podiatrists

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Optometrists with another field Explore rankings in Healthcare Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$136,570

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

9.5%employment growth2,000openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Doctoral or professional degree

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

45,100

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Optometrists (29-1041).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Examine eyes, using observation, instruments, and pharmaceutical agents, to determine visual acuity and perception, focus, and coordination and to diagnose diseases and other abnormalities, such as glaucoma or color blindness.
Prescribe, supply, fit and adjust eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other vision aids.
Prescribe medications to treat eye diseases if state laws permit.
Educate and counsel patients on contact lens care, visual hygiene, lighting arrangements, and safety factors.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

The work routinely happens in close physical proximity to other people; personal space is limited.
The helping mission includes documentation, direct care, and safety-critical routines where a missed detail can affect a patient.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Assisting and Caring for Others4.8
Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.8
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.8
Documenting/Recording Information4.7
Getting Information4.7

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Investigative5.8
Social5.0
Realistic4.8
Conventional3.9
Enterprising2.3
Artistic1.6

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Medicine and Dentistry Biology Mathematics Therapy and Counseling

Software and tools named in job postings

Mozilla Firefox Apple Safari

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Try an approved first-aid, CPR, patient-care, or health-science workshop. Use supervised training or simulation only.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Optometrists nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions. Examples of tools used in the occupation include Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari; check which ones employers near you actually require.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options

Compare before committing

The useful question is not whether one field wins overall, but what changes when you choose a nearby path. Explore the full career guides for Pharmacist, Veterinarian, Podiatrists, Audiologists.