Optometrists vs Naturopathic Doctors
Median pay is about $21k higher for Optometrists. The usual entry education is doctoral (OD) for Optometrists and doctoral (ND) plus license for Naturopathic Doctors.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Optometrists | Naturopathic Doctors |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $136,570, higher | $115,210 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $109,400, higher | $83,780 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $165,120, higher | $161,470 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +9.5% Growing fast, higher | +5.5% Growing fast |
| Openings a year | 2,000 | 1,900 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Doctoral (OD) | Doctoral (ND) plus license |
| Difficulty modeled | 4 / 5 | 4 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Moderate |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 44th pct | 69th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Optometrists
- Science
Only Naturopathic Doctors
- Active Learning
Both lean on reading comprehension, active listening, critical thinking, writing, speaking.
More comparisons
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Compare Naturopathic Doctors with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.