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The differences between optometrists and optometry assistants 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 $32,354 average annual salary of an optometry assistant.
The top three skills for an optometrist include patients, patient care and diagnosis. The most important skills for an optometry assistant are patients, field testing, and appointment scheduling.
Optometrists and optometry assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Optometrist | Optometry Assistant | |
| Average salary | $187,654 | $32,354 |
| Salary range | Between $94,000 And $373,000 | Between $24,000 And $42,000 |
| 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 an optometrist and an optometry assistant in terms of educational background:
| Optometrist | Optometry Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 30% |
| Most common major | Optometry | Business |
| Most common college | University of California, Berkeley | - |
Here are the differences between optometrists' and optometry assistants' demographics:
| Optometrist | Optometry Assistant | |
| Average age | 45 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 25.9% Female, 74.1% | Male, 13.6% Female, 86.4% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 25.1% Asian, 9.1% White, 50.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 18% | 6% |