Becoming an optometrist takes about eight years after high school: four years of undergraduate study followed by four years in a Doctor of Optometry (OD) program. After graduation, you’ll need to pass national board exams and obtain a state license before you can practice. The path is structured and predictable, which makes it easier to plan than many healthcare careers.
Undergraduate Prerequisites
Most optometry schools require at least one year each of biology (or zoology), general chemistry, general physics, English, and college math. These are the baseline requirements set across the profession, though individual schools may ask for additional coursework in organic chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, statistics, or psychology. You don’t need a specific major. Many applicants study biology or a health science, but any major works as long as you complete the prerequisite courses.
Check directly with the schools you’re interested in before finalizing your course plan. Some programs don’t accept AP credits or online courses for prerequisites, and policies vary. A strong GPA in your science courses matters more than your overall GPA, since admissions committees want evidence you can handle the rigorous science curriculum ahead.
The Optometry Admission Test
You’ll need to take the Optometry Admission Test (OAT) before applying. The exam has four sections: Survey of the Natural Sciences, Reading Comprehension, Physics, and Quantitative Reasoning. It’s a standardized, computer-based test administered by the American Dental Association.
Scores are reported on a scale of 200 to 400, with 300 as the mean. There’s no universal cutoff for admission. Each school weighs OAT scores differently alongside your GPA, interview performance, and extracurricular experience. Most competitive applicants aim well above the 300 average, and retaking the exam is an option if your first attempt doesn’t reflect your ability. Plan to spend two to three months studying, focusing especially on biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry within the natural sciences section.
Applying Through OptomCAS
Optometry schools use a centralized application system called OptomCAS. The 2025–2026 cycle opens on June 26, 2025, and closes on May 21, 2026. You submit one application that gets distributed to every school you select, similar to how medical school applications work through AMCAS.
Your application includes transcripts, OAT scores, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. Most applicants apply during the summer or early fall of their senior year of college, though some take a gap year to strengthen their application. Submitting early in the cycle is generally advantageous, since many programs use rolling admissions and fill seats as qualified candidates are interviewed.
What Optometry School Looks Like
The Doctor of Optometry program is a four-year graduate degree. The first two years focus heavily on classroom learning and building a scientific foundation: courses in ocular anatomy, optics, pharmacology, and the physiology of vision. At many schools, you’ll start seeing patients in a supervised clinical setting as early as your first year, though direct patient care for all students typically begins in the second year.
The third year integrates classroom courses with more intensive clinical work. You’ll study ocular disease, contact lens fitting, binocular vision, and public health while caring for patients in both primary care and specialty clinics. By this point, the balance shifts noticeably toward hands-on experience.
The fourth year is almost entirely clinical. At SUNY College of Optometry, for example, the final year is structured as four 12-week rotations where students work as interns with real patient care responsibilities. You’ll rotate through multiple settings, including at least one university-based clinic and external placements at hospitals, health care facilities, or private practices. These rotations give you exposure to different patient populations and practice styles before you choose where to start your career.
Tuition and Cost
Optometry school is a significant financial investment. At SUNY College of Optometry, one of the more affordable options, in-state tuition for the 2025–2026 year is $32,200. Out-of-state students pay $52,700. Private optometry schools often charge more, with annual tuition at some programs exceeding $50,000 regardless of residency status. Over four years, total tuition alone can range from roughly $130,000 to over $200,000, not including living expenses, fees, and equipment.
Most students finance their education through federal loans, scholarships, and military or public health service commitments that offer loan repayment in exchange for practicing in underserved areas. Factoring in the median salary of $134,830 per year, the debt is manageable for most graduates, but it’s worth comparing tuition across programs carefully.
National Board Exams
Licensure requires passing the exams administered by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO). The exams are divided into three parts, taken at different stages of your education.
- Part I (Applied Basic Science): A 350-question exam covering foundational knowledge. Roughly one-third of the questions test your understanding of refractive conditions, sensory processes, and eye movement. The remaining two-thirds cover normal eye health, disease, and trauma, including topics like glaucoma, retinal conditions, and systemic health. Most students take this after their second year.
- Part II: Focuses on clinical knowledge and patient care decision-making. You’ll typically sit for this during your third or fourth year.
- Part III: A hands-on clinical skills exam where you demonstrate competency with actual patient encounters and clinical procedures.
All three parts must be passed before you can apply for licensure in any state.
State Licensure
Every state requires its own license, and the specific requirements vary. Beyond passing the NBEO exams, most states require a jurisprudence exam testing your knowledge of that state’s optometry laws and regulations. Some states also mandate specific training before you can practice. New York, for instance, requires coursework in child abuse identification and reporting, as well as training in infection control and barrier precautions related to HIV and hepatitis B.
You’ll also need to meet basic eligibility requirements like being at least 21 years old and passing a background check. If you plan to practice in multiple states or relocate later in your career, look into each state’s requirements early, since some have additional clinical hour thresholds or continuing education mandates that affect how easily you can transfer your license.
Optional Residency Training
A residency isn’t required to practice optometry, but it’s increasingly common for graduates who want specialized expertise. Residencies last one year and involve intensive clinical training in a focused area. Available specialties include family practice, pediatrics, binocular vision, low vision, rehabilitative optometry, contact lenses, and ocular disease.
Completing a residency makes you more competitive for positions in hospitals, VA medical centers, academic settings, and group practices that handle complex cases. It also deepens your clinical confidence in ways that general practice alone takes years to build. About a third of new graduates pursue a residency, and the trend is growing.
Career Outlook
The median annual wage for optometrists was $134,830 as of May 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment is projected to grow 8 percent from 2024 to 2034, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. The demand is driven by an aging population that needs more vision care, expanded scope-of-practice laws that allow optometrists to treat a wider range of conditions, and increased screen time contributing to eye strain and myopia across all age groups.
Most optometrists work in private practice, either solo or as part of a group. Others work in retail optical chains, hospitals, community health centers, or the military. Where you practice has a significant effect on both your salary and your day-to-day work. Rural areas and underserved communities often offer higher starting salaries and loan repayment incentives to attract new graduates.