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Optometrist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an optometrist. Optometrists usually study optometry, biology, or business. 36% of optometrists hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 2,847 real optometrist resumes to see exactly what optometrist education sections show.

The most common colleges for optometrists are the Southern College of Optometry and the Southern College of Optometry.

There are also many online optometrist courses to help get the education required to be an optometrist.

There are certain optometrist certifications that you should consider. These optometrist certifications include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA).

What education do you need to become an optometrist?

What degree do you need to be an optometrist?

The most common degree for optometrists is bachelor's degree, with 36% of optometrists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 26% and doctoral degree degree at 13%.
  • Bachelor's, 36%
  • Doctorate, 26%
  • Associate, 13%
  • High School Diploma, 11%
  • Other Degrees, 14%

What should I major in to become an optometrist?

You should major in optometry to become an optometrist. 42% of optometrists major in optometry. Other common majors for an optometrist include biology and business.

Most common colleges for optometrists

Optometrists often get their degrees at Southern College of Optometry, Illinois College of Optometry, and University of Houston. Here are the most common colleges for optometrists in the US based on their resumes.
Optometrist common collegePercentages
Southern College of Optometry15.69%
Illinois College of Optometry14.12%
University of Houston9.41%
SUNY College of Optometry7.45%
New England College of Optometry6.67%

Best majors for optometrists

RankMajorPercentages
1Optometry42.2%
2Biology16.7%
3Business7.2%
4Psychology4.5%
5Medical Assisting Services3.8%

Best colleges for optometrists

The best colleges for optometrists are Nova Southeastern University, Ohio State University, and University of California, Berkeley.

An optometrist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for optometrists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become optometrists.

1. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

2. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

20 best online courses for optometrists

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Top 10 most affordable universities for optometrists

The most affordable schools for optometrists are Nova Southeastern University, ferris state university, and northeastern state university.

If the best universities for optometrists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for optometrists.

1. Nova Southeastern University

Fort Lauderdale, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$30,900

Cost of attendance

47,432

2. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$11,788

Cost of attendance

22,715

3. Northeastern State University

Tahlequah, OK • Private

In-state tuition

$6,650

Cost of attendance

16,625

4. Indiana University Bloomington

Bloomington, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$10,681

Cost of attendance

24,326

5. University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$9,792

Cost of attendance

22,810

6. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Cost of attendance

26,555

7. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Cost of attendance

36,739

8. University of Houston

Houston, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$8,913

Cost of attendance

24,923

9. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$31,484

Cost of attendance

41,978

10. University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, AL • Private

In-state tuition

$8,568

Cost of attendance

24,347

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for optometrists

The hardest universities for optometrists to get into are Nova Southeastern University, Ohio State University, and University of California, Berkeley.

Some great schools for optometrists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for optometrists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Nova Southeastern University

Fort Lauderdale, FL • Private

Admissions rate

79%

SAT average

1,196

2. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

1,359

3. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,448

4. Indiana University Bloomington

Bloomington, IN • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,275

5. MCPHS University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,144

6. University of Houston

Houston, TX • Private

Admissions rate

62%

SAT average

1,220

7. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

8. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,070

9. University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

73%

SAT average

1,179

10. University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, AL • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,220

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for optometrists

The easiest schools for optometrists to get into are University of the Incarnate Word, nova southeastern university, and northeastern state university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an optometrist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for optometrists.

1. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

2. Nova Southeastern University

Fort Lauderdale, FL • Private

Admissions rate

79%

SAT average

1,196

3. Northeastern State University

Tahlequah, OK • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,064

4. MCPHS University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,144

5. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,070

6. Indiana University Bloomington

Bloomington, IN • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,275

7. University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

73%

SAT average

1,179

8. University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, AL • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,220

9. Pacific University

Forest Grove, OR • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,169

10. University of Houston

Houston, TX • Private

Admissions rate

62%

SAT average

1,220

Average optometrist salary by education level

Optometrist education levelOptometrist salary
Doctorate Degree$199,874

Optometrist education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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