Academic and Career Information
Updated July 2026
Nature of the Work, Earnings and Occupational Outlook
states that “Doctors of Optometry are independent primary health care providers who examine, diagnose, treat and manage diseases and disorders of the visual system, the eye and associated structures as well as diagnose related systemic conditions.” Optometry is one of the nation's largest independent health care professions. More than half of Americans require vision correction with eyeglasses or contact lenses at some point in their lives.
The number of new practicing optometrists is limited by the relatively small number of accredited optometry programs in the United States. As of 2025, there are 25 accredited schools and colleges of optometry in the United States and Puerto Rico. For the 2022-2023 academic year, applicants submitted a total of 11,834 applications for admission ().
Most optometrists work in offices or in optical goods stores. Optometrists held about 43,400 jobs in 2023. Employment of optometrists is expected to grow 9% through 2032, which is much faster than average. As of 2023, the median pay for Optometrists is $131,860 and about 1,700 openings for optometrists are projected each year ().
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), optometrists held approximately 50,600 jobs in 2024. Employment is projected to grow 9% from 2023 to 2033, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. About 1,900 job openings for optometrists are projected each year over the decade, on average, primarily due to workforce growth and retirements (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025).
The median annual wage for optometrists was $134,830 in May 2024 (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025). Earnings generally increase with years of experience, specialization, geographic location, and practice ownership. The optometrist’s wages, like that of most professions, tend to rise with the number of years in practice. All states and the District of Columbia require that optometrists be licensed, which requires a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree from an accredited optometry school and a passing score on both a written and a clinical state board examination. Licenses are renewed every 1 to 3 years and in all states, continuing education credits are needed for renewal.
Optometry Education
The Doctor of Optometry degree is a 4‐year program. Optometry programs include academic coursework and laboratory study of health and visual sciences, as well as clinical training in the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. Included are courses in pharmacology, optics, vision science, biochemistry, and systemic disease. Residencies are not required to develop a specialty. Since the four‐year optometry curriculum prepares graduates in all areas, a residency does not introduce but rather enhances experiences in a selected area. Optometrists may choose to get 1 year of advanced clinical training such as primary care, cornea and contact lenses, and ocular disease.
Pre-Optometry Preparation
Admission requirements at all schools require the completion of a minimum of at least 90 semester units of college coursework; however, a Bachelor’s degree may be required and is strongly recommended. Ninety percent of new entrants at most schools have obtained Bachelor’s degrees. A student’s academic evaluation is based upon overall GPA, science GPA, college attended, degree progress, and course load difficulty. The overall average GPA for the Fall 2023 entering class was 3.44.
Common Components Required for Admission
Applicants are strongly encouraged to shadow one or more practicing optometrists before applying. Observation and hands-on experiences help applicants better understand the profession and demonstrate informed motivation for pursuing optometry.
Optometry Admission Test
The Optometry Admission Test (OAT) must be taken by all applicants seeking admission to schools and colleges of optometry. The OAT is a standardized exam, which exclusively contains multiple choice test items. There are four components to this exam:
- Survey of Natural Sciences (Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry)
- Physics
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Reading Comprehension
The OAT is a computerized test offered year-round at Prometric Testing Centers. The most desirable schedule for applicants is to take the exam between February of their junior year and October of their senior year in college. NOTE: There is a 60 day grace period between exam retakes. Visit and for additional information.
Application
is the central application service for schools and colleges of optometry. OptomCAS will provide applicants with a single web‐based application service and an opportunity to apply to more than one participating optometry school or college with one application.
Course Requirements for Optometry Schools
Prerequisite admission requirements vary from school to school. Please refer to the . Most students major in the sciences (biology, chemistry, etc.) because the prerequisites for optometry schools are science intensive and they find a great deal of overlap between major requirements and those required for optometry school, although a science major is not required.
The information above is reprinted with permission from:
This is NOT a comprehensive list of prerequisites for all programs. Also, requirements may change. Therefore, it is students' responsibility for verifying course selection with individual programs.
Listed below are the prerequisite admission requirements for the three Optometry programs in California.