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Orthoptics/Orthoptist

Types of Degrees Orthoptics/Orthoptist Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Orthoptics/Orthoptist have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	1

What Orthoptics/Orthoptist Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Orthoptics/Orthoptist emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Orthoptics/Orthoptist graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Orthoptics/Orthoptist emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Orthoptics/Orthoptist program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Orthoptics/Orthoptist careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Orthoptics/Orthoptist graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	4.5 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.5 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.8 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Orthoptics/Orthoptist professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
AcuityPro	Medical software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Medflow Complete	Medical software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
ezChartWriter	Medical software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
NaviNet Open	Medical software	—
iChartPlus	Medical software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Orthoptics/Orthoptist graduates include:

• Optical Technician (Optical Tech)
• Health Technician (Health Tech)
• Ophthalmic Medical Assistant
• Retinal Angiographer
• Certified Ophthalmic Technician-Surgical Assistant (COT-SA)
• Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technician (Certified Ophthalmic Medical Tech)
• Ophthalmic Scribe
• Certified Retinal Angiographer
• Ophthalmic Aide
• Paraoptometric
• Optometric Technician (Optometric Tech)
• Ophthalmic Assistant
• Certified Ophthalmic Surgical Assistant
• Eyecare Advisor
• Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT)

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Orthoptics/Orthoptist graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	59.1%
Postsecondary certificate	27.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	9.1%
Some college courses	4.5%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Orthoptics/Orthoptist?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 100% of Orthoptics/Orthoptist degrees.

How Much Do Orthoptics/Orthoptist Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Orthoptics/Orthoptist graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$34,118
4 years	$36,016
5 years	$38,680

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $38,680 — roughly 13% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Orthoptics/Orthoptist Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Orthoptics/Orthoptist graduates earn a median of $36,016 four years after completion — about 5% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions	51.18
Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions, Other	51.1899
Ophthalmic Technician/Technologist	51.1803
Opticianry/Ophthalmic Dispensing Optician	51.1801
Optometric Technician/Assistant	51.1802

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.