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The differences between licensed opticians and optometrists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an optometrist has an average salary of $187,654, which is higher than the $45,625 average annual salary of a licensed optician.
The top three skills for a licensed optician include patients, customer satisfaction and eye care. The most important skills for an optometrist are patients, patient care, and diagnosis.
| Licensed Optician | Optometrist | |
| Yearly salary | $45,625 | $187,654 |
| Hourly rate | $21.94 | $90.22 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 14,216 | 20,993 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Average age | 44 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A licensed optician is responsible for attending to clients with eye care needs and recommends eyewear selection according to the optometrist's advice. Licensed opticians order the frames and lenses and ensure that the measurement would fit according to the instructions. They also assist the clients in changing or adjusting frames and remind them of the appropriate methods to keep their eyewear safe. A licensed optician must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in keeping an organized record of the clients' appointments and processing insurance billings.
A licensed optometrist is primarily responsible for the vision and eye care of clients, treating different conditions such as astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness. Their duties mostly revolve around performing eye and vision tests, diagnosing issues, providing consultations, prescribing corrective glasses and lenses, and educating clients on proper eye care methods. Furthermore, an optometrist must maintain records of all cases and treatment plans, and supervise support staff should they choose to work at a private clinic or a similar setting.
Licensed opticians and optometrists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Licensed Optician | Optometrist | |
| Average salary | $45,625 | $187,654 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $63,000 | Between $94,000 And $373,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Greensboro, NC |
| Highest paying state | - | North Carolina |
| Best paying company | - | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a licensed optician and an optometrist in terms of educational background:
| Licensed Optician | Optometrist | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Optometry |
| Most common college | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities | University of California, Berkeley |
Here are the differences between licensed opticians' and optometrists' demographics:
| Licensed Optician | Optometrist | |
| Average age | 44 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.2% Female, 63.8% | Male, 25.9% Female, 74.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 9.2% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 1.4% Unknown, 3.0% Hispanic or Latino, 5.2% Asian, 17.1% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 18% |