Optometrists vs Nurse Practitioners
Median pay is about $4k higher for Optometrists. The usual entry education is doctoral (OD) for Optometrists and master's for Nurse Practitioners.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Optometrists | Nurse Practitioners |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $136,570, higher | $132,300 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $109,400 | $117,990, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $165,120, higher | $156,700 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +9.5% Growing fast | +41% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 2,000 | 29,400 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Doctoral (OD) | Master's |
| Difficulty modeled | 4 / 5 | 4 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 44th pct | 63rd pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Optometrists
- Science
Only Nurse Practitioners
- Active Learning
Both lean on reading comprehension, active listening, critical thinking, writing, speaking.
More comparisons
Compare Optometrists with
Compare Nurse Practitioners 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.