Optometrist Salary

[LUC78]

I am applying to optometry schools and am merely curious to know more about the salary, as this is something I have never really looked into before.

How much do recent grads get paid? Vs. Someone who has been established in the field for 5+ years.

I have shadowed a few doctors and there have been times when there are 30min+ slots where no appointments are booked. Do optometrists who don't own a practice get paid by the hour or by how many patients are booked that day?

I'd greatly appreciate any insight on all of my above questions! Thank You 🙂

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[generallyspeaking]

1)"How much do recent grads get paid? Vs. Someone who has been established in the field for 5+ years."
If you are talking about new grad opening their own office cold vs 5+years established, of course the established guy is going to make way more money because they have established patient clientele whereas the new guy can barely get their schedule full. The new doc would likely have to moonlight elsewhere to supplement income and the office would likely take at least 2 years to float on its own production.
If you are talking about recent grad vs established ASSOCIATE, then I can't imagine there being a large difference, assuming there is no longevity "loyalty" bonus for working for the same place for multiple years.

2) "Do optometrists who don't own a practice get paid by the hour or by how many patients are booked that day?"
Depends on what your contract says. Some pay associates a flat rate. Some pay associates only a % of production. Most places pay a flat rate + a % of production. You should also look at the policy definitions of One-Door versus Two-Door States if you are talking about commercial optometry.

More and more of my peers (new grads 4 years out) are opening their own offices. Being an associate, which is like being a partner in a marriage, often can lead to feuds when things aren't seen eye-to-eye.

In terms of figures, I won't go into that. Goodluck.

 

[Dr. Dangerfield]

Here you go:

Optometrists salary

What's reported on Optometry School websites is false and misleading. The above link is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Granted, you have to assume it includes part time ODs, but the idea that the AVERAGE salary is around 140k is a lie.

Most associates have a base salary and then have a bonus structure in place to keep them motivated. What this means is you'll still get your base salary whenever you're slow and have the potential to make much more when you're busy, if you're willing to work hard.

Salary depends greatly on where you live. As a new grad you could expect to make between 80-90k gross.

 

[GypsyHummus]

Im surprised that the salary is that high considering people have trouble finding full time work. Im also surprised because as the last time I have read, optometrists are super saturated (not to the degree of pharmacists, but still).

Here you go:

Optometrists salary

What's reported on Optometry School websites is false and misleading. The above link is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Granted, you have to assume it includes part time ODs, but the idea that the AVERAGE salary is around 140k is a lie.

Most associates have a base salary and then have a bonus structure in place to keep them motivated. What this means is you'll still get your base salary whenever you're slow and have the potential to make much more when you're busy, if you're willing to work hard.

Salary depends greatly on where you live. As a new grad you could expect to make between 80-90k gross.

 

[bigred]

Im surprised that the salary is that high considering people have trouble finding full time work. Im also surprised because as the last time I have read, optometrists are super saturated (not to the degree of pharmacists, but still).

I am applying to optometry schools and am merely curious to know more about the salary, as this is something I have never really looked into before.

How much do recent grads get paid? Vs. Someone who has been established in the field for 5+ years.

I have shadowed a few doctors and there have been times when there are 30min+ slots where no appointments are booked. Do optometrists who don't own a practice get paid by the hour or by how many patients are booked that day?

I'd greatly appreciate any insight on all of my above questions! Thank You 🙂

Today, I addressed this in the pre-optometry forum in a thread titled “Reconsider Optometry.” A typical employed new O.D. will earn 100k salary plus 25-40k of benefits (insurance, 401k match, vacation, taxes paid by your employer that you would pay if you were self-employed, possibly student loan repayment program, membership dues). The sad thing is an OD with 10 years of experience probably makes about the same but has probably has an easier/better position with more vacation time. Sadly, when I started working I was hired in making 20k more than the guy I worked with they had about 15 years of experience. He was/is a great doctor.

 

[twentytwentybaby]

What's reported on Optometry School websites is false and misleading. The above link is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Granted, you have to assume it includes part time ODs, but the idea that the AVERAGE salary is around 140k is a lie.



Are you saying the 140k is an overestimate or underestimate?

 

[JackBeQuick]

I've worked in corporate and government clinic settings and 140k is definitely not the norm for salary. Corporate locations start around 105k to 130k depending on location and need, whereas government (think VA, IHS, hospitals) typically start a little below 100k, but benefits are generally better.

Average salary growth that I've seen for employed OD's is around 2-3% a year, just barely keeping with inflation. So if you start at 100k, after 5 years at the same location, maybe you'll be at a little over 110k.

 

[Dr. Dangerfield]

What's reported on Optometry School websites is false and misleading. The above link is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Granted, you have to assume it includes part time ODs, but the idea that the AVERAGE salary is around 140k is a lie.



Are you saying the 140k is an overestimate or underestimate?

140k is an overestimate. That's what is posted on certain OD school websites. It's actually probably closer to the 117k listed on BLS.gov.