Optometry

Nature of the Work

Doctors of Optometry (O.D.) are independent primary health care providers who examine, diagnose, treat and manage diseases and disorders of the visual system, the eye and associated structures as well as diagnose related systemic conditions. Optometry is one of the nation’s largest independent healthcare professions. Over half the people in the United States wear glasses or contact lenses. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that optometrists make a median annual income of $124,300 or $60 per hour. The lowest 10% of optometrists earned less than $61,590 and the highest 10% earned more than $192,390.

Optometry Education

There are presently 23 schools and colleges of optometry in the United States and one in Puerto Rico. There are 3 Optometry programs in California: Marshall B. Ketchum University Southern California College of Optometry, The University of California, Berkeley, and Western University of Health Sciences. The Doctor of Optometry degree is a 4-year program.

Pre-Optometry Preparation

Admission requirements at all schools require the completion of a minimum of at least 90 semester units of college coursework; however, a Bachelor’s degree may be required and is strongly recommended. Ninety percent of new entrants at most schools have obtained Bachelor’s degrees. A student’s academic evaluation is based upon overall GPA, science GPA, college attended, degree progress, and course load difficulty. The majority of students for the 2022 entering class at all schools and colleges of optometry had an overall average GPA 3.50 - 4.00.

Major

Any major is appropriate for optometry school preparation. While science majors such as Biology and Chemistry require many of the same basic prerequisites, selecting a science major is not required for admission to any optometry school. Students are advised to select a major they find interesting, can do well in, and use if they do not enter or finish optometry.

Common Components Required for Admissions

  1. Application including personal statement
  2. Official transcripts from all colleges attended
  3. Official Optometry Admission Test (OAT) scores
  4. Letters of recommendation
  5. Optometry experience/exposure
  6. Personal interview

The Optometry Admission Test (OAT) is a computerized test. It must be taken by all applicants seeking admission to schools and colleges of optometry. The OAT is a standardized exam, which contains only multiple choice test items. There are six components: Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, General Biology, General Physics, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry. OAT prep courses are available and vary by content and price.

Course Requirements for Optometry School

A student’s academic evaluation is based upon overall GPA, science GPA, college attended, degree progress, and course load difficulty. Prerequisite admission requirements vary from school to school. Please refer to the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry for the specific requirements of each school.

Statistics for Optometry Schools in California (2022) 

Schools Average GPA Average OAT
Marshall B. Ketchum Southern California School of Optometry 3.6 345
UC Berkeley 3.59 340
Western University 3.31 318

Pre-Optometry Courses at PCC

Subject Course Number
English 001A, 001B
Biology 010A, 010B, 010C
Chemistry 001A, 001B, 008A, 008B
Physics 031A, 031B or (008A, 008B, 008C) or (002A, 002B*)
Microbiology 002
Anatomy 025
Physiology 001
Statistics 050 or 018
Math 005A
Psychology 001


* Physics 031A & 031B is preferred by most optometry schools. Students who choose to have majors other than biological sciences or chemistry may take Physics 002A & 002B in preparation for optometry schools. Students who major in engineering should complete Physics 008A, 008B, 008C.

Note: The above lists of classes are requirements for most optometry schools. For more specific requirements, students should check with individual optometry schools.

Helpful Websites for Pre-Optometry Students: