M
mynameistino
I am just curious, how much do optometrist make a year?
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2005
- Messages
- 37
- Reaction score
- 0
"According to the 2002 American Optometric Association Economic Survey, the average net income for optometrists was $130,273." I got that from the ASCO website..www.opted.org
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2004
- Messages
- 43
- Reaction score
- 0
I dug up some info on optometrist salaries from the U.S. Dept. of Labor.
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291041.htm
This study was reported for 2003 and lists a mean annual wage of 96k. I like this website because it shows numbers from different settings and in different areas of the country. check out south dakota
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291041.htm
This study was reported for 2003 and lists a mean annual wage of 96k. I like this website because it shows numbers from different settings and in different areas of the country. check out south dakota
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2005
- Messages
- 509
- Reaction score
- 0
luvthemhogs said:
if you talk to new optomerists, they will tell you it is very difficult to make that kind of money in the field right now. if you would like, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/optometrysucks to hear some stories. very frequently there are optometrists taking home 50-60k before student debt.
- Joined
- May 1, 2000
- Messages
- 1,179
- Reaction score
- 3
If anyone here expects to make the average income their first year out, you are crazy. That average includes those ODs who have been practicing 30-40 years. You have to work your way up the food chain and pay your dues.
Why do u guys care about money so much? it has nothing to do with money. If you are sure that that is what u wanna do, then it is worth it regardless of the money u get.Dominic said:
Nowadays all doctors care about is money money money. Get over it
- Joined
- May 1, 2000
- Messages
- 1,179
- Reaction score
- 3
If you are not fully informed of your possible income coming out of school, you will have no idea about what you are worth. Ignoring income or saying it does not matter makes no sense to me. If are don't know what you will be payed later in life, how can you judge if your education is worth it. It always blew my mind when I met education majors at my private undergraduate school. They were paying a ton of money for a job that was going to pay them 26-30k/yr when they got out. Now I'm not busting on teachers, my grandma, mom, sister, cousin, and wife are all teachers so I respect them. What I'm saying is that if you are not well informed about your career in all aspect (income being one of them), then you are jumping into a field without thinking.
As far as what you can expect as a new grad...if you start in private as an employ of an OD or MD, it is around 65-75k. If you go to corporate route you can get more 80-95k. The corporate route will lead you to a income glass ceiling pretty quickly, while the private route has a much higher potential. If you look at the private average with corporate average, the private income is higher if you look at all ODs. If you look just as starting salary , the earlier statement holds.
With that said, the sooner you jump into the private game, the sooner your income will climb past the corporate income...meaning, you will make more money sooner.
As far as what you can expect as a new grad...if you start in private as an employ of an OD or MD, it is around 65-75k. If you go to corporate route you can get more 80-95k. The corporate route will lead you to a income glass ceiling pretty quickly, while the private route has a much higher potential. If you look at the private average with corporate average, the private income is higher if you look at all ODs. If you look just as starting salary , the earlier statement holds.
With that said, the sooner you jump into the private game, the sooner your income will climb past the corporate income...meaning, you will make more money sooner.
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2005
- Messages
- 38
- Reaction score
- 0
Dude, don't act like money isn't a big part of choosing this profession. If i'm gonna put all the time and effort into four years of optometry school, i want to make sure that my investment is going to be worth it. Yeah, other things are more important when it comes to choosing a career but you can't tell me you'd choose this profession if it paid $30,000.ppa93 said:
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2003
- Messages
- 8,393
- Reaction score
- 37
Aw, how cute. I'm glad to see the salary sanctimony has made its way to the optometry boards along with all the others.ppa93 said:
I'll tell you what: you see all your patients at normal fees, saving the world from the ravages of astigmatism, then take the fee checks and sign them over to the people here who actually live in the real world and want to make sure they'll be earning a decent living in their career. That way you get to be piss-broke and self-righteous, and they all get to make a better living and still not care a rat's what you think. Everybody wins!
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2005
- Messages
- 37
- Reaction score
- 0
wrx04 said:
I would still do optometry if it paid $30,000 year. As long as I can live on the amount a money I am given, I would do still do optometry. To me the pay is one of the benefits of a career in optometry, but it is not why I chose to do optometry. But you do need to know what you are getting in to it.
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2005
- Messages
- 38
- Reaction score
- 0
ppa93 said:
What are you talking about? Your post doesn't even make sense. I chose optometry for a whole lot of reasons other than the money, as my previous post signified. I love everything about the profession and that is why I chose it. If I wanted to get rich, there are many other things that I could have chosen that would have pulled in alot more $$$. And by the way, don't get hard if you can't even type a response in proper english. (double negative) 😎- Joined
- Jan 20, 2005
- Messages
- 122
- Reaction score
- 0
Hi,
Although I think salary is a big issue in any profession...you shouldn't make fun of someone just because they aren't as articulate in English as you are. They have the right to respond and state their opinion.
Although I think salary is a big issue in any profession...you shouldn't make fun of someone just because they aren't as articulate in English as you are. They have the right to respond and state their opinion.
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2004
- Messages
- 19
- Reaction score
- 0
Sure the starting salary range may not be as high as expected, but once you go into private OD office, it becomes just like any other business, you become and a doctor and a businessman at the same time. So if you do your research and set up a practice after evaluating your market and its need, your potential becomes much higher.
When you graduate with the rest of the class, everyone is going to have the same skill level, however those with good business skills and ideas ( including communication, marketing, examining your niches, recruiting good employees, etc.) are obviously going to make their money as compared to those that are lacking with business methodologies.
That's my opinion - but as in previous threads, the healthcare of patients is obviously the greatest intrinsic reward and that's what should drive all of us.
When you graduate with the rest of the class, everyone is going to have the same skill level, however those with good business skills and ideas ( including communication, marketing, examining your niches, recruiting good employees, etc.) are obviously going to make their money as compared to those that are lacking with business methodologies.
That's my opinion - but as in previous threads, the healthcare of patients is obviously the greatest intrinsic reward and that's what should drive all of us.
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2005
- Messages
- 45
- Reaction score
- 0
JennyW said:
Paying your dues probably refers to...
A. Working for someone else for a number of years on a salary basis.
or...
B. Working for someone else during an evaluation period before buying into a partnership.
or...
C. The first few years of starting your own practice when you are building your practice and money is tight.
Just my guess.
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2005
- Messages
- 105
- Reaction score
- 0
I could walk into my dad's practice after school. My salary would almost definately be way higher than just about any where else I could go. Despite the fact that it is such a great practice, I've told my dad again and again that I probably won't practice with him just because I don't like the town, and I've already lived there my whole life. I have nothing against my dad or the practice itself. I think leaving that town would be worth it for a massive pay cut if I can find a nice place to live. Am I crazy?
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2004
- Messages
- 402
- Reaction score
- 1
YOU KNOW WHAT, everybody has their own reasons for wanting to be an optometrist, so therefore there is no SINGLE right answer. If you want to do optometry for $$$ or simply because you love the profession, then that's really up to you, right? Say what you want but everybody should respect each others' opinions.
But IMHO, I think if you really wanted to make money, you would get into business or something right...instead of taking eight years of school to make only about $80-90k a year.
But IMHO, I think if you really wanted to make money, you would get into business or something right...instead of taking eight years of school to make only about $80-90k a year.
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2005
- Messages
- 380
- Reaction score
- 2
stevec said:
I think you should work for your dad as soon as you graduate. Save your money for a few years, then move wherever you want and open a practice. However, I highly recommend that if you choose this rought you are open with your father about about your future carrer plans to venture out on your own. This will prevent any awkward feelings between you and your father. Congratulations and good luck on whatever path you choose.
Yours,
Caraway
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2005
- Messages
- 73
- Reaction score
- 0
As someone who is currently working full-time and has been financially independent for several years, income is a very important aspect. Going back to school full-time for four years is a very big sacrifice. To those of you saying the money doesnt matter, i think you will be thinking very differenlty when you graduate, have roughly $60K in loans and begin to understand exactly how expensive the cost of living is. I am however having a difficult time finding out an accurate expected income estimate.
To be honest with you instead of being poor and struggling though school for 4 years, it would be much more fun to live and work abroad. I know in 10 years though, i would prefer to treat patients and have the option of owning my own practice rather than working for a corporation. But it is a difficult choice and requires sacrifices. Current undergrad students may not get it yet.
To be honest with you instead of being poor and struggling though school for 4 years, it would be much more fun to live and work abroad. I know in 10 years though, i would prefer to treat patients and have the option of owning my own practice rather than working for a corporation. But it is a difficult choice and requires sacrifices. Current undergrad students may not get it yet.
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2005
- Messages
- 73
- Reaction score
- 0
FutureIrishOD said:
i probably wouldve said the same thing as an undergrad. But once you're working, i think you'll realize $30K is not a lot of money. If you have student loans, it will be difficult to live off of.
