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Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric vs Physicians, Pathologists: what changes?

Consider Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric if you want to diagnose and perform surgery to treat and help prevent disorders and diseases of the eye. Consider Physicians, Pathologists if you would rather diagnose diseases and conduct lab tests using organs, body tissues, and fluids. Both list doctoral or professional degree; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric and Physicians, Pathologists. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences
What this means in practice

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Start with earnings, the route into the job, training, available openings, and a day-to-day reality.

Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric

National median pay (2025)
$300,080
Route into the job
Doctoral or professional degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements.
Work to investigate
Perform comprehensive examinations of the visual system to determine the nature or extent of ocular disorders.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
200
Know before you choose

Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.

See the full Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric brief

Physicians, Pathologists

National median pay (2025)
$312,400
Route into the job
Doctoral or professional degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements.
Work to investigate
Examine microscopic samples to identify diseases or other abnormalities.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
300
Know before you choose

Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.

See the full Physicians, Pathologists brief
See scores, detailed data, and how the comparison works

How the national numbers differ

1

Physicians, Pathologists has the edge on annual openings

Physicians, Pathologists is at 300 annual openings, compared with 200 annual openings for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric.

2

Physicians, Pathologists has the edge on projected growth

Physicians, Pathologists is at 4.8% projected growth, compared with 4.5% projected growth for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric.

3

Physicians, Pathologists has the edge on median pay

Physicians, Pathologists is at $312,400, compared with $300,080 for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric.

48.4/ 100

Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric

vs
49.7/ 100

Physicians, Pathologists

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric vs Physicians, Pathologists

DimensionOphthalmologists, Except PediatricPhysicians, Pathologists
Median pay (2025)$300,080$312,400
Pay percentile98.9 percentile99.2 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)4.5%4.8%
Annual openings (2025–2035)200300
2025 employment9,70011,800
How you qualifyDoctoral or professional degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirementsDoctoral or professional degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements
O*NET preparation groupJob Zone 5Job Zone 5
Related work experienceNo prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job trainingInternship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements.Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric briefRead Physicians, Pathologists brief

Try another comparison

Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric vs Dermatologists

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric
$300,080 · 4.5% growth
Dermatologists
$328,730 · 6.8% growth
Compare careers →

Physicians, Pathologists vs Dermatologists

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Physicians, Pathologists
$312,400 · 4.8% growth
Dermatologists
$328,730 · 6.8% growth
Compare careers →
ChooseField compares fields using public labor-market and professional sources.