Optometry & Vision graduates pursue 2 occupations, with top roles paying $47,260/yr or more. The career cards below break down wages, daily tasks, and 10-year job growth projections for each.
This page covers Optometry & Vision as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Health and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Optometry & Vision is a focused area of study within Health. You will not have trouble finding it: 79 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 760 students complete it each year, most walking away with a associate's. Training is clinical and hands-on, often leading to licensure or certification.
Colleges Offering
79
Graduates / Year
760
Avg Net Price / yr
$12,022
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 760 students who complete Optometry & Vision programs each year, the majority (69%) earn a associate's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
27%69%
Associate's69%
Certificate27%
Bachelor's2%
What Can You Do With an Optometry & Vision Degree?
This degree does not lock you into one job. Optometry & Vision graduates show up in 2 different occupations, and Opticians pay the most at $47,260/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
Design, measure, fit, and adapt lenses and frames for client according to written optical prescription or specification. Assist client with inserting, removing, and caring for contact lenses. Assist client with selecting frames. Measure customer for size of eyeglasses and coordinate frames with facial and eye measurements and optical prescription. Prepare work order for optical laboratory containing instructions for grinding and mounting lenses in frames. Verify exactness of finished lens spectacles. Adjust frame and lens position to fit client. May shape or reshape frames. Includes contact lens opticians.
Measure clients' bridge and eye size, temple length, vertex distance, pupillary distance, and optical centers of eyes, using measuring devices.
Verify that finished lenses are ground to specifications.
Evaluate prescriptions in conjunction with clients' vocational and avocational visual requirements.
Active ListeningSpeakingWritingSocial PerceptivenessReading Comprehension
Day-to-day responsibilities
Assist ophthalmologists by performing ophthalmic clinical functions. May administer eye exams, administer eye medications, and instruct the patient in care and use of corrective lenses.
Take and document patients' medical histories.
Conduct tonometry or tonography tests to measure intraocular pressure.
Operate ophthalmic equipment, such as autorefractors, phoropters, tomographs, or retinoscopes.
Top Colleges for Optometry & Vision
Not sure where to study Optometry & Vision? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by Optometry & Vision graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Health Programs
Optometry & Vision is not the only path through Health: 30 other specializations sit alongside it. The comparison below ranks them by 4-year median earnings so you can see where this one lands.
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page
into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of an Optometry & Vision program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
The data on Optometry & Vision shows 2 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, BLS projections, and IPEDS graduate counts.
PROS
Fast-growing fieldRelated careers are projected to grow up to +21.4% over the next decade, with Ophthalmic Medical Technicians among the fastest-growing roles.
Strong hiring volumeRelated occupations generate more than 17,400 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
CONS
Licensure often requiredMost roles in this field require state licensure or certification before you can practice. Budget time and costs for board exams alongside your degree.
What jobs can you get with an Optometry & Vision degree?
Opticians are one path, and it pays a median of $47,260 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.
How long does an Optometry & Vision program take?
Two years full-time at a community college for an Optometry & Vision associate degree. Many students use it as a stepping stone, transferring to a four-year school afterward to finish a bachelor's.
How many colleges offer Optometry & Vision?
79 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.
What is the difference between Optometry & Vision and Health?
Optometry & Vision is the narrower of the two: Health covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Optometry & Vision-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.
What skills do employers look for in Optometry & Vision graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Optometry & Vision graduates consistently look for clinical judgment, patient communication, and evidence-based decision-making. Licensure, certifications, and supervised clinical hours are typically required or strongly preferred in most roles. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.
Is graduate school worth it for Optometry & Vision graduates?
Often, yes. Advanced degrees in this field (nurse practitioner, physician assistant, doctor of physical therapy) typically come with significantly higher pay and a wider scope of practice, which is why most students in health fields eventually go back for one. Weigh that against your own career goals, the program's cost, and whether your target role actually rewards the advanced credential.
What is the job outlook for Optometry & Vision graduates?
Outlook is strong overall: related occupations average +12.8% projected job growth over the next 10 years. Ophthalmic Medical Technicians are among the strongest-growth roles at +21.4%. That average hides real differences by role and location, so check the Career Paths section below for the projection on each specific occupation before you count on any single number.
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