Career guide
How to become an optometrist
Education, licensing, training, and outlook from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 projections), with BLS May 2025 pay.
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Optometrists, read October 23, 2026. Publisher page
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Quick answer
Quick facts
- 2025 Median Pay
- $136,570 per year $65.66 per hour
- Typical Entry-Level Education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Work Experience in a Related Occupation
- None
- On-the-job Training
- None
- Number of Jobs, 2025
- 45,100
- Job Outlook, 2025 to 2035
- 10% (Much faster than average)
- Employment Change, 2025 to 2035
- 4,300
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, read October 23, 2026. Publisher page
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Steps to become an optometrist (BLS)
Optometrists typically need a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree. O.D. programs take 4 years to complete, and applicants typically have bachelor’s degree before entering a program. Every state requires optometrists to be licensed.
Education
Optometrists typically need a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree from an accredited program. Applicants to these graduate programs must have completed at least 3 years of undergraduate education. However, applicants to O.D. programs typically have a bachelor’s degree in a field such as biology or physical science. Programs that do not require a specific field of degree for admissions might require that applicants have completed courses in subjects such as chemistry, physics, and calculus.
Applicants to O.D. programs also must take an entrance exam which covers four subject areas: natural sciences, reading comprehension, physics, and quantitative reasoning.
O.D. programs take 4 years to complete. They include both academic coursework and supervised clinical experience. Coursework includes anatomy, visual science, and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the visual system. During clinical training, students gain experience treating patients in a variety of settings, such as hospitals and private practice.
After finishing an O.D. degree, optometrists may choose to get 1 year of advanced clinical training in the area in which they wish to specialize. Areas of specialization include primary care, cornea and contact lenses, and ocular disease.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
All states require optometrists to be licensed. Prospective optometrist must have an O.D. degree from an accredited optometry school and must complete all sections of a qualifying exam. Some states require candidates to pass an additional exam, such as on clinical skills or on laws relating to optometry. Information on state licensing board requirements is available from CareerOneStop.
All states require optometrists to take continuing education classes and to renew their license periodically. For more information, contact the licensing board for the state in which you plan to practice.
Optometrists may obtain an optional credential to become board certified. This certification requires passing an examination. Information on certifications is available from CareerOneStop.
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One, read October 23, 2026. Publisher page
Job outlook, 2025 to 2035
Employment of optometrists is projected to grow 10 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations.
About 2,000 openings for optometrists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
| Occupation | SOC | Employment | Projected | Change % | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optometrists | 29-1041 | 45,100 | 49,400 | 10% | 4,300 |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Job Outlook, read October 23, 2026. Publisher page
Pay
| Role | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $136,570 | $65.66 |
Highest-paying states: Alaska ($170,310), Maryland ($165,840), North Carolina ($161,560), Delaware ($161,270), New York ($161,140).
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page
Related pages
Questions
What degree do you need to be an Optometrist?
BLS lists "Doctoral or professional degree" as the typical entry-level education.
Do optometrists need a license?
All states require optometrists to be licensed. Prospective optometrist must have an O.D. degree from an accredited optometry school and must complete all sections of a qualifying exam. Some states require candidates to pass an additional exam, such as on clinical skills or on laws relating to optometry. Information on state licensing board requirements is available from CareerOneStop.
What is the job outlook for optometrists?
Employment of optometrists is projected to grow 10 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations.
How much does an Optometrist make?
The BLS median for optometrists was $136,570 a year ($65.66 an hour) in May 2025.
Run it in Rivvi
Plan the path to optometrist in your state
Plan it in RivviFree to start. Opens Rivvi, the AI workspace for healthcare teams.
2M+ interactions500K+ patientsHIPAA BAA