Report says optometrists have ‘surprisingly low’ salaries

According to a report from Business Insider, optometry tops the list of prestigious professions with surprisingly low pay.

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The report used data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics on the mean salary of full-time civilian workers in various fields that are traditionally considered to be prestigious and generally require advanced degrees.

“Some of these gigs, like being an architect or an optometrist, pay well below what you might expect,” the authors write.

Topping that list was optometry, where the average annual salary is $111,640.

“(Optometrists) perform eye exams and make just a fraction as much as some medical professionals,” the authors write. “For comparison, the average physician earns $191,880 a year, and dentists, who undergo a similar amount of training, earn $168,870.”

Which other professions made the list?

• Biomedical engineers: $93,960

• Chemists: $77,740

• Budget analysts: $72,560

• Credit analysts: $72,590

• Architects, surveyors, and cartographers: $71,790

• Psychologists: $74,310

• Accountants and auditors: $72,500

• Professors: $77,550 for area, ethnic, or cultural studies; $74,210 for mathematics or science; and $68,360 for English language or literature.

• Zoologists and marine/wildlife biologists: $62,610

• Legislators: $39,320

• Dietitians/nutritionists: $56,300

• Graphic designers: $49,610

• Post-doctoral fellows: Varies, but NIH offers $42,000

• Chefs and head cooks: $46,620

• Marriage and family therapists: $51,690

• Embalmers: $46,620

• Reporters: $44,360

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