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Is Optometry Worth It?
The answer depends on which school you attend, what you borrow, and the kind of practice you end up in. Here are the real numbers on both sides, and a calculator to put your own choices through them.
Last checked Nov 2, 2026. Pay figures are U.S. government data; costs are from each school's published tuition.
What It Costs
Across the 25 programs, a four-year estimate of tuition plus living costs runs from $206,240 to $370,564. The low end belongs to an in-state student at a public school, and the high end to a student at a private school or paying out-of-state rates in a costly city. Federal loans stop at $200,000 in total for students starting after Jul 1, 2026, so many students will borrow more than that or cover the rest another way. The loan cap, explained.
What Optometrists Earn
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median of $136,570 a year for optometrists in May 2025. The lowest-paid tenth earned under $74,870, and the highest-paid tenth earned over $202,180. About 45,100 people held the job, and BLS projects 10% growth from 2025–35, with roughly 2,000 openings a year.
| Where they work | Share of jobs | Median pay there |
|---|---|---|
| Offices of optometrists | 61% | $129,250 |
| Offices of physicians | 14% | $145,630 |
| Retail trade | 13% | $159,250 |
| Self-employed | 5% | Not listed |
| Outpatient care centers | 4% | $207,030 |
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Optometrists, May 2025 wages and 2025 employment. These are wages and salaries; BLS does not list a median for self-employed owners here. More on practice settings.
Payoff Calculator
Pick a school and enter what you expect to borrow, earn and pay. It shows what you'd owe at graduation and the monthly payment as a share of pay. Nothing you enter leaves this page.
Estimated four-year cost
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- Owed at graduation
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- Monthly payment
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- Payment as share of your pay
| If you earn | Per year | Payment, share of pay |
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Simplifications: tuition stays flat for four years, loans are taken at the start of each year and accrue simple interest until graduation, there is no grace period, taxes aren't taken out, and the payment is level over the term. The default rate is the federal graduate unsubsidized rate for 2026–27 loans (8.07%). Private loans differ. The cost calculator adds tuition increases, equipment, board fees and state programs.
Every School's Cost Against Median Pay
The table divides each school's four-year estimate by the national median pay of $136,570. A figure of 1.00 means the cost equals one year of the median pay, before tax.
| School | Est. 4-yr, out-of-state | Years of median pay | Est. 4-yr, in-state | Years of median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico (IAUPR) | $216,000 | 1.58 | $208,000 | 1.52 |
| NSU Oklahoma | $254,860 | 1.87 | $220,688 | 1.62 |
| UAB | $257,340 | 1.88 | $219,720 | 1.61 |
| Ferris State (MI) | $257,376 | 1.88 | Same rate | — |
| Incarnate Word | $260,748 | 1.91 | Same rate | — |
| Southern (SCO) | $278,160 | 2.04 | Same rate | — |
| Detroit Mercy | $282,000 | 2.06 | Same rate | — |
| Pikeville (KY) | $283,800 | 2.08 | Same rate | — |
| UMSL | $285,856 | 2.09 | $206,240 | 1.51 |
| Indiana | $288,704 | 2.11 | $238,560 | 1.75 |
| Houston | $292,816 | 2.14 | $214,268 | 1.57 |
| Ohio State | $295,208 | 2.16 | $210,984 | 1.54 |
| Nova Southeastern | $298,032 | 2.18 | Same rate | — |
| Chicago (Midwestern) | $298,536 | 2.19 | Same rate | — |
| Arizona (Midwestern) | $300,148 | 2.20 | Same rate | — |
| Rocky Mountain | $304,980 | 2.23 | Same rate | — |
| Pennsylvania (Drexel) | $306,240 | 2.24 | Same rate | — |
| Illinois College (ICO) | $312,076 | 2.29 | Same rate | — |
| Pacific | $316,672 | 2.32 | Same rate | — |
| Western U | $321,744 | 2.36 | Same rate | — |
| MCPHS | $345,480 | 2.53 | Same rate | — |
| New England (NECO) | $350,384 | 2.57 | Same rate | — |
| SUNY | $356,920 | 2.61 | $272,800 | 2.00 |
| SCCO/Ketchum | $365,520 | 2.68 | Same rate | — |
| Berkeley | $370,564 | 2.71 | $319,544 | 2.34 |
Living allowance by cost tier, tuition held flat, before scholarships. Median pay is national, not school-specific.
What the Numbers Leave Out
- Your own pay may differ. The median is a national figure across all settings. The spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles is more than $120,000, and the table above shows how pay differs by setting.
- Four years without a full salary. The calculator counts what you pay, not what you could have earned in those years.
- Taxes, and what you keep. Pay here is before tax. A payment that looks like a small share of gross pay is a larger share of take-home.
- Repayment programs. Income-driven plans and forgiveness programs change what you pay, and their rules have changed recently. Check current terms at studentaid.gov; this page doesn't model them.
- Optional extra training. A year of advanced clinical training after the degree is optional, and it delays full pay.
- Practice ownership. Buying into or opening a practice adds debt and income that don't appear in wage data.
Questions Beyond the Money
- Do you want a job built around long-term relationships with patients, such as the same family year after year?
- How do you feel after a full day of shadowing: curious, or counting hours?
- Does the school you'd actually attend fit the debt you'd carry, or is a cheaper school one you'd be glad to attend?
- If your state has no school, could a state program or in-state tuition change the answer?
Not sure yet? Shadowing is the cheapest way to find out. When you're ready to choose between schools, see the side-by-side matchups.
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