Go to each Optometry schools website private and public institutions and look at their tuition/ fees and total living expenses. Also, call up Optometry schools and they should have statistics on the average debt incurred of each graduating class. Optometry education like other first professional degree cost a staggering amount. Private Optometry schools tuition can cost up to $40,000 a year alone. Add living expenses, etc can run $60,000. Four years in the program easy 200- 250K for your professional degree.
You didn't mention what your finances are like. How much loan you'll be taking out.
Twenty two years ago plus when I got out, Optometry was an investment where you made your money back and then some if you had no loans to pay back. Even those with a good amount of loans, 100-150 K were able to manage it and pay it back. In 2015, look at Optometric salaries across the board in every state of the country. You have salaries anywhere from 80K to 160 K and that is being employed whether on a 1099 (self employment) or W2 (employee). Jobs have become a lot more difficult to find in terms of full time work in big cities because there are a saturation of ODs. Opportunities however, still exist.
If you become resident trained and looking to enter academia -Optometry school teaching and also work PT that is also an option.
I can't answer your question as to what you are asking but I will tell you our salaries have not increased (stagnant ) during the past 5-6 years in parts of the North East. In some parts of the country from my understanding they have actually gone down regardless what the AOA claims.
To increase one's earnings many nowadays provide medical eye care with medical billing like OMDs same charges on the medical insurances besides the optical insurances.
Lastly, I can only tell you what I see out there. If you are looking at 250K student debt when you get out, you are facing an uphill battle when you'll be getting paid an annual salary of 100- 140K a year gross salary (pretax).
Good Luck and chose wisely.