Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons vs Optometrists
Median pay is about $216k higher for Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons. The usual entry education is doctoral plus residency for Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons and doctoral (OD) for Optometrists.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons | Optometrists |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $352,220, higher | $136,570 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $204,610, higher | $109,400 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $428,710, higher | $165,120 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +5.6% Growing fast | +9.5% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 200 | 2,000 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Doctoral plus residency | Doctoral (OD) |
| Difficulty modeled | 4.8 / 5 | 4 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Very low | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 23rd pct | 44th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
Only Optometrists
- Writing
- Science
Both lean on reading comprehension, critical thinking, active listening, speaking.
More comparisons
Compare Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons with
Compare Optometrists 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.