Illinois College of Optometry: Optometry

Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) · CIP 51.17 · No credentials fully online · Chicago, IL

Graduates of this program who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $119,302 one year after completing and $133,895 four years after. Median debt was not published. Nationally, graduates of professional degree (jd, md, and similar) programs in this field earned a median of $107,584 one year after completing.

Median earnings, 1 year
$119,302
199 graduates measured Verified data
Median earnings, 4 years
$133,895
Verified data
Median federal debt
Data unavailable
Data unavailable
Debt to first-year earnings
Data unavailable
Data unavailable

This program compared with the national picture

MeasureThis programNational median, same field and credential
Median earnings 1 year after completion$119,302$107,584
Median earnings 4 years after completion$133,895$131,525
Median federal loan debt (Stafford and Grad PLUS)Suppressed for privacyData unavailable Median of programs
Estimated monthly payment on median debt (10-year standard)Data unavailable
Graduates in the most recent year1211,752 across 25 programs

Earnings cohorts: Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars. Debt cohort: NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort. Debt covers federal loans only and excludes private loans and Parent PLUS loans. Earnings are for graduates working and not enrolled, before taxes.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

Careers this field prepares students for

From the official CIP to SOC crosswalk. Graduates do not all enter these occupations, and occupation wages describe all workers, not new graduates. Official crosswalk

OccupationMedian wage, all workersChange 2025 to 2035
Optometrists$136,570+9.5%
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

Comparable programs with the highest early earnings

SchoolMedian earnings, 1 yrMedian debt
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-School of Optometry
PR · Private, nonprofit
$121,026Data unavailable
Indiana University-Bloomington
IN · Public
$120,296Data unavailable
Ferris State University
MI · Public
$119,021Data unavailable
University of Alabama at Birmingham
AL · Public
$116,552Data unavailable
University of Pikeville
KY · Private, nonprofit
$115,287Data unavailable
University of the Incarnate Word
TX · Private, nonprofit
$111,925Data unavailable
University of Houston
TX · Public
$111,862Data unavailable
SUNY College of Optometry
NY · Public
$105,145Data unavailable
Northeastern State University
OK · Public
$104,441Data unavailable
University of Missouri-St Louis
MO · Public
$103,461Data unavailable

See all Optometry programs and national outcomes

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Illinois College of Optometry Optometry (Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar)): Earnings and Debt | ConnectPrep Career Intelligence