isworthit

Is an Optometrist a Good Career?

2026 data · Last updated 2026-07-05

The verdict

Yes for the balance it offers — optometrists earn strong pay with good hours and growing demand, without the extreme training of physicians. The main caveats are optometry-school debt and a somewhat routine clinical scope.

The numbers behind the verdict

The pay and outlook that back up the call above — real BLS figures, not a salary table to browse.

Median salary
$136,570/yr
Job growth
+8.0% (2024-2034, much faster than average)
Cost to enter
$76,230

bachelor's + doctoral/professional (~3 yr grad)

Payback period
~0.6 yr of median pay to recoup tuition
More BLS detail (pay range, employment, entry education)
Typical pay range (25th–75th pct)
$109,400 – $165,120
People employed (U.S.)
42,790
Avg. annual openings
~2,400
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree

Salary: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS). Growth: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034. Cost & payback estimated from NCES tuition (AY2022–23); payback is a simplified tuition-to-median-pay proxy and excludes aid and opportunity cost.

Pay varies by state: Optometrist earns from $97,350 in Oklahoma to $170,310 in Alaska. See your state — adjusted for cost of living & tax.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Strong pay with predictable, family-friendly hours
  • Much-faster-than-average projected growth
  • Less training than an MD/DO path
  • Practice-ownership potential
  • Clean, low-stress clinical environment

Cons

  • Significant optometry-school debt (OD degree)
  • Somewhat routine, repetitive scope
  • Market saturation in some urban areas
  • Limited scope vs ophthalmologists
  • Retail-chain settings can pressure volume

Who it's for

✓ A good fit if…

  • People wanting strong pay with good work-life balance
  • Those who like steady, low-stress clinical work
  • Aspiring practice owners

✗ Probably not if…

  • People wanting broad medical scope
  • Those unwilling to take on the OD-degree debt

What people are actually asking

Real Reddit discussions on whether Optometrist is worth it — titles link to the original threads.

FAQ

Is optometry a good career?

Yes — optometrists earn strong pay with predictable hours and growing demand, without the extreme training of physicians. The main trade-offs are optometry-school debt and a relatively routine clinical scope.

How much does an optometrist make?

The median annual wage is $136,570 (BLS OEWS, May 2024 release), with the middle 50% earning between $109,400 and $165,120.

What's the job outlook for an optometrist?

BLS projects +8.0% (2024-2034, much faster than average) in employment from 2024 to 2034, with about 2k openings per year on average.

an Optometrist salary by state

Tap a state for its median pay adjusted for cost of living and state income tax — 51 states with BLS data, highest first.

Sources