Optometrists: Career Profile
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.
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What Tasks Do Optometrists Do?
Typical responsibilities of optometrists include:
- 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.
- Analyze test results and develop a treatment plan.
- 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.
- Remove foreign bodies from the eye.
- Provide patients undergoing eye surgeries, such as cataract and laser vision correction, with pre- and post-operative care.
- Consult with and refer patients to ophthalmologist or other health care practitioner if additional medical treatment is determined necessary.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful optometrists rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Optometrists Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Optometrist
- Optometry Doctor (OD)
- Therapeutic Optometrist
How Many Optometrists Are There?
There are about 1,080,119 optometrists working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -4.5% over the projection horizon.
Optometrists Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $116,847 |
| Hourly median | $56.18 |
| 10th percentile | $82,052 |
| 25th percentile | $99,449 |
| 75th percentile | $134,245 |
| 90th percentile | $151,643 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $165,830 |
| New York | $163,040 |
| Maryland | $157,830 |
| Washington | $157,650 |
| New Jersey | $156,000 |
| Vermont | $156,000 |
| New Mexico | $154,630 |
| District of Columbia | $154,300 |
| North Carolina | $153,750 |
| Massachusetts | $150,820 |
| Minnesota | $150,020 |
| Nevada | $146,760 |
| Rhode Island | $144,360 |
| Connecticut | $143,000 |
| Delaware | $137,910 |
| Wisconsin | $137,650 |
| South Carolina | $137,450 |
| Colorado | $137,370 |
| California | $137,070 |
| Hawaii | $136,670 |
| Illinois | $136,200 |
| Arizona | $134,430 |
| Maine | $133,470 |
| Kentucky | $132,000 |
| Michigan | $131,700 |
| New Hampshire | $130,310 |
| West Virginia | $130,190 |
| Ohio | $130,000 |
| Alabama | $129,700 |
| Georgia | $129,690 |
| Florida | $129,500 |
| North Dakota | $128,940 |
| Kansas | $128,510 |
| Texas | $128,360 |
| Pennsylvania | $128,260 |
| Indiana | $127,080 |
| Utah | $124,830 |
| Louisiana | $120,080 |
| Iowa | $119,990 |
| Oregon | $119,980 |
| South Dakota | $118,980 |
| Nebraska | $116,850 |
| Missouri | $113,030 |
| Tennessee | $110,660 |
| Puerto Rico | $109,980 |
| Montana | $108,600 |
| Mississippi | $107,600 |
| Arkansas | $99,970 |
| Oklahoma | $98,890 |
| Wyoming | $88,410 |
| Idaho | $66,880 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for optometrists shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $151,630 | 14.5% | 0.97 |
| New England | $145,792 | 5.3% | 1.13 |
| Far Western US | $138,745 | 21.2% | 1.29 |
| Great Lakes | $132,524 | 14.6% | 1.03 |
| Southwest | $126,798 | 11.5% | 0.93 |
| Plains States | $126,786 | 7.2% | 1.09 |
| Rocky Mountains | $120,056 | 4.5% | 1.14 |
| Southeast | $113,975 | 20.6% | 0.87 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | WI | $176,930 | 40 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $165,870 | 80 |
| Reno, NV | NV | $165,060 | 80 |
| Albuquerque, NM | NM | $165,050 | 70 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | AL | $164,560 | 40 |
| Syracuse, NY | NY | $163,400 | 120 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $163,320 | 720 |
| Anchorage, AK | AK | $162,980 | 40 |
Industry Breakdown
The bulk of optometrists are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 35,300 | $132,840 |
| Retail Trade | 5,630 | $156,790 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 130 | $163,040 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 110 | $160,260 |
| Educational Services | 110 | $107,840 |
Below are examples of industries where optometrists work:
Tech Stack
- Internet browser software: Apple Safari (hot technology)
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Internet browser software: Microsoft Edge (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft SQL Server (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Internet browser software: Mozilla Firefox (hot technology)
- Internet browser software: Web browser software (in demand)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of optometrists reflects the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How to Become Optometrists
This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Chiropractors (Primary-Long)
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (Primary-Long)
- Podiatrists (Supplemental)
- Nurse Practitioners (Supplemental)
- Audiologists (Supplemental)
- Anesthesiologists (Supplemental)
- Dermatologists (Primary-Short)
- Emergency Medicine Physicians (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Future optometrists commonly pursue programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1041.00 (Optometrists).
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