How to become an optometrist

1. 1Complete at least 3 years of college with science prerequisites

   Time: 3-4 yearsCost: Varies by collegeSources 1

   O.D. programs require at least 3 years of undergraduate study, and most entering students have a bachelor's degree, often in biology, chemistry or another science. Prerequisites usually include biology, general and organic chemistry, physics and math such as calculus or statistics. Shadowing an optometrist in a private practice, clinic or hospital shows admissions committees you understand the work and helps you decide between optometry and other health careers.

2. 2Take the Optometry Admission Test (OAT)

   Time: Usually the year before you applyCost: OAT fee (see oat.ada.org)Sources 3

   The OAT is the standard entrance exam for optometry schools. It is governed by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry and administered by the American Dental Association's Department of Testing Services at Prometric test centers. It has four parts: Survey of the Natural Sciences (biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry), Reading Comprehension, Physics and Quantitative Reasoning. Plan to take it after you have finished most of your science prerequisites.

3. 3Earn a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree

   Time: 4 yearsCost: About $135,720-$221,340 tuition at UABSources 2, 4, 1

   Choose a program accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE), which the U.S. Department of Education recognizes as the accreditor for O.D. programs. The first years cover ocular anatomy, optics, visual science, pharmacology and eye disease. Clinical training grows each year, and the final year is usually spent in rotations at sites such as VA hospitals, community health centers and specialty practices.

4. 4Pass the NBEO board exams

   Time: During the O.D. programCost: $5,100 for Parts I-III (2026 fees)Sources 5, 10

   The National Board of Examiners in Optometry gives the national exams. Part I ABS tests basic science, including anatomy, pharmacology and optics. Part II PAM tests clinical decision-making on patient cases and includes the TMOD section on treating eye disease. Part III PEPS is a hands-on exam with simulated patient encounters, given at the NBEO's National Center of Clinical Testing in Optometry in Charlotte, North Carolina.

5. 5Get your state license

   Time: A few weeks to a few monthsCost: State fees varySources 1, 5, 7

   Apply to the optometry board in the state where you will practice. Boards require an accredited O.D. degree and passing NBEO scores, and some add a state law exam or extra clinical exams. States that allow injections or laser procedures may require the NBEO Injection Skills Examination or the Laser and Surgical Procedures Examination before you can perform them. Every state requires continuing education to renew a license.

6. 6Consider a residency or board certification

   Time: 1 year (residency), optionalSources 9, 6

   A 1-year residency gives advanced clinical training in an area such as primary care, ocular disease, pediatrics, low vision or cornea and contact lenses, and is common for jobs in hospitals, the VA and academic clinics. Later, optometrists can earn board certification from the American Board of Optometry, which requires an active therapeutic optometry license, 150 qualifying points from activities such as residency or practice, and a written exam.

Programs, tuition and graduates’ earnings

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15). Scorecard groups programs by 4-digit field, so a row can include related programs. Tuition is the median published undergraduate tuition and fees of the colleges offering the program (shown only for undergraduate credentials); debt is the median of programs’ median federal loan debt at completion; earnings are the national median for the field and credential four years after completion.

Requirements differ by state. Check your state’s rules in the CareerOneStop License Finder (U.S. Department of Labor) before you enroll.

Attention to detail

Small changes in a retinal scan or eye pressure reading can be the first sign of glaucoma or diabetic eye disease.

Fine motor control

Optometrists handle slit lamps and lenses and fit contact lenses on the surface of the eye, and some give injections.

Clinical judgment

Optometrists must decide which problems they can treat themselves and which need an ophthalmologist right away.

Patient communication

Explaining a prescription to a child's parent or a glaucoma diagnosis to an older patient takes clear, calm language.

Business sense

Practice owners manage staff, insurance billing and an optical shop, which together decide whether the practice is profitable.

O*NET 31.0 rates these skills as most important for the occupation: reading comprehension, active listening, critical thinking, writing, speaking.

Training cost

$141K–$226K

Before financial aid

Time

8 years (9 with a residency)

Typical path

Median pay

$136,570

All US jobs: $50,980

Payback once qualified

1.6–2.6 yrs

Pay above the all-jobs median vs. cost

O.D. tuition plus NBEO core exam fees, using the University of Alabama at Birmingham's 2026-27 rates as an example of a public program. Low: 4 years x $33,930 resident tuition = $135,720. High: 4 years x $55,335 nonresident tuition = $221,340. Both add NBEO fees effective August 2026 of $5,100 (Part I ABS $1,490, Part II PAM $1,490, TMOD $630, Part III PEPS $1,490). Not included: undergraduate study, the OAT fee, equipment, living costs and state license fees. For comparison, the median federal loan debt of optometry graduates is $179,169 (College Scorecard).

Rough guide only: ignores taxes, aid, interest and earnings given up during training. How we calculate it.

• Practice owner or partner

  Many optometrists buy into or open a practice after several years as an associate, which adds business management to clinical work.

• Residency-trained specialist

  A 1-year residency in ocular disease, pediatrics, low vision or contact lenses leads to specialty and hospital roles.

• Optometry school faculty$82,250 median

  Teaching and clinical supervisor roles usually go to optometrists with residency training, and some also earn a master's or Ph.D. in vision science.