Very Materialistic Question

[Bonbon2007]

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Hi,

I was wondering if anyone knows who makes more money on average: a pharmacist or an optometrist?

On the academic side, which test is harder (if anyone knows) the OAT or PCAt?

Thank you. 👍

 

[rx22]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone knows who makes more money on average: a pharmacist or an optometrist?

On the academic side, which test is harder (if anyone knows) the OAT or PCAt?

Thank you. 👍

I am not sure about the money part of the profession..but I have taken the PCAT and the OAT and I thought the OAT was harder than the PCAT. it could also be because I am not very good at physics and OAT has a whole section on Physics..but it still felt like it was harder. just what i think..hope that helps.

 

[GatorRxGirl]

Forget about that. Which do you like better, drugs or eyes?

 

[bsmspharmd]

The difference in salaries is only a few percent at most, and is contingent on your location after graduation. Go with the field that better suits your interests. To find out, try shadowing in both fields, and see which you like better.

 

[fidelio]

I think the OAT is harder, but I also heard the PCAT format is changing?

I dunno.

 

[ilovepharm]

I don't have the exact stats for pay, but like someone mentioned, it probably does not differ that much. Even so, these numbers would only be the average. From what I've heard, pharmacists in socal make around 90k-120k. This number varies based on experience, location, and work setting. Most optometrists own their own businesses, so that depends on the number of patients you bring in, type of insurances covered for your patients, and the price range you set for your inventory. My aunt works only part time at her optometry office and brings in about 70k+/year. She makes a whole bunch for working just part time, but she also has a HUGE network of patients.

Like others have said, try to find out exactly what it is you want to do, because I was originally torn between optometry and pharmacy in the beginning. After working at my aunt's optometry office for 4 years, I realized that pharmacy really what I wanted to do!! Get experience in both pharmacy and optometry!

 

[Pharm47]

GO to salary.com for an estimate. For my zip code, the middle 50% earned:

Pharmacist - $99K-110K
Optometrist - $97K-120K

Looks like there's slightly more variability for optometrists...but its pretty much the same.

 

[babyvi3thonnie]

i'm not sure about the salary either...but i was crazy enough to apply for both opt and pharm in the end i chose pharm though....what i heard is that pharm is easier to find a job than opt but in the end if you can open your own opt store then i think opt would make more but definitely i think pharm start out with a higher salary then opt well at least in jacksonville is true....

i personally think the oat is so much better and easier than the pcat and it is less competitive...i did way better on the oat than the pcat....

 

[OSUpharmy]

Do optometrists and pharmacists have relatively the same personality type? I know I fit in with the pharmacists I shadowed that tell stupid jokes and eat candy all day.

 

[GreyFox2002]

The salary is good in either field. Pharmacy appears more diverse than Opt, IMHO.

 

[Pharm47]

Do optometrists and pharmacists have relatively the same personality type? I know I fit in with the pharmacists I shadowed that tell stupid jokes and eat candy all day.

good thing you didn't consider dentistry...

 

[dumbguy]

Forget about that. Which do you like better, drugs or eyes?

I like drugs, hehehehe.

 

[OSUpharmy]

good thing you didn't consider dentistry...

lol...no but I do keep their industry afloat.