Optometry: is this first professional degree worth it?
National picture across 18 reporting college programs.
$131,497 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
Observed national outcomes
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of Alabama at Birmingham$145,8902Drexel University$139,1023Ferris State University$138,8374University of Missouri-St Louis$138,5375Indiana University-Bloomington$134,6096Illinois College of Optometry$133,8957University of the Incarnate Word$133,4988Ohio State University-Main Campus$132,6619University of California, Berkeley$130,33310Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences$129,752Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Alabama at BirminghamFirst Professional Degree | Birmingham, AL | $145,890 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,749 |
| 2 | Drexel UniversityFirst Professional Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $139,102 | Not available | Baseline needed | $38,509 |
| 3 | Ferris State UniversityFirst Professional Degree | Big Rapids, MI | $138,837 | Not available | Baseline needed | $8,624 |
| 4 | University of Missouri-St LouisFirst Professional Degree | Saint Louis, MO | $138,537 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,071 |
| 5 | Indiana University-BloomingtonFirst Professional Degree | Bloomington, IN | $134,609 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,264 |
| 6 | Illinois College of OptometryFirst Professional Degree | Chicago, IL | $133,895 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 7 | University of the Incarnate WordFirst Professional Degree | San Antonio, TX | $133,498 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,775 |
| 8 | Ohio State University-Main CampusFirst Professional Degree | Columbus, OH | $132,661 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,339 |
| 9 | University of California, BerkeleyFirst Professional Degree | Berkeley, CA | $130,333 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,481 |
| 10 | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health SciencesFirst Professional Degree | Boston, MA | $129,752 | Not available | Baseline needed | $39,545 |
| 11 | University of HoustonFirst Professional Degree | Houston, TX | $129,383 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,276 |
| 12 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico-School of OptometryFirst Professional Degree | Bayamon, PR | $128,116 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 13 | SUNY College of OptometryFirst Professional Degree | New York, NY | $127,809 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 14 | Western University of Health SciencesFirst Professional Degree | Pomona, CA | $125,916 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 15 | Marshall B Ketchum UniversityFirst Professional Degree | Fullerton, CA | $124,937 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 16 | Northeastern State UniversityFirst Professional Degree | Tahlequah, OK | $119,476 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,710 |
| 17 | New England College of OptometryFirst Professional Degree | Boston, MA | $102,704 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 18 | Salus UniversityFirst Professional Degree | , | $139,102 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.