Optometrists vs Veterinarian: $137K vs $130K Median Pay

Optometrists vs Veterinarian: what changes?

Consider Optometrists if you want to diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system. Consider Veterinarian if you would rather diagnose, treat, or research diseases and injuries of animals. Both list doctoral or professional degree; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Optometrists and Veterinarian. 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

Optometrists

National median pay (2025): $136,570
Route into the job: Doctoral or professional degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: 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.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 2,000

Know before you choose

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

See the full Optometrists brief

Veterinarian

National median pay (2025): $130,100
Route into the job: Doctoral or professional degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds, or performing surgery.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 3,100

Know before you choose

The helping mission includes documentation, direct care, and safety-critical routines where a missed detail can affect a patient.

See the full Veterinarian brief

How the national numbers differ

Veterinarian has the edge on annual openings

Veterinarian is at 3,100 annual openings, compared with 2,000 annual openings for Optometrists.

Optometrists has the edge on median pay

Optometrists is at $136,570, compared with $130,100 for Veterinarian.

Optometrists has the edge on projected growth

Optometrists is at 9.5% projected growth, compared with 9.4% projected growth for Veterinarian.

61.7/ 100

Optometrists

64/ 100

Veterinarian

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