Optometrists vs Podiatrists
Median pay is about $24k higher for Podiatrists. The usual entry education is doctoral (OD) for Optometrists and doctoral (DPM) for Podiatrists.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Optometrists | Podiatrists |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $136,570 | $160,300, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $109,400, higher | $103,730 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $165,120 | $225,910, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +9.5% Growing fast, higher | +2.0% Growing |
| Openings a year | 2,000 | 200 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Doctoral (OD) | Doctoral (DPM) |
| Difficulty modeled | 4 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Very low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 44th pct | 45th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Optometrists
- Science
Only Podiatrists
- Active Learning
Both lean on reading comprehension, active listening, critical thinking, writing, speaking.
More comparisons
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Compare Podiatrists 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.