Becoming an optometrist takes about eight years after high school: four years of undergraduate education followed by four years in a Doctor of Optometry (OD) program. Some students can shorten that to seven years through accelerated combined programs, and those who pursue a residency will add one more year on top.
The Standard Eight-Year Path
Most optometrists follow a straightforward route. You complete a bachelor’s degree (four years), then earn your Doctor of Optometry degree (four more years). Optometry schools technically require only three years of undergraduate coursework for admission, but the vast majority of accepted students have already finished a full bachelor’s degree before starting their OD program.
The undergraduate years aren’t just about checking boxes. Most optometry programs require at least one year each of biology, general chemistry, general physics, English, and college math. Beyond those universal prerequisites, individual schools layer on their own requirements. Some expect organic chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, anatomy, physiology, statistics, or psychology. A few also require or strongly recommend shadowing hours with a practicing optometrist. Because these requirements vary so much by school, the specific courses you take during undergrad depend on where you plan to apply.
How Competitive Is Admission?
Getting into optometry school requires solid grades and a competitive score on the Optometry Admission Test (OAT). Data from the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry shows that the 2024 entering class had average GPAs ranging from about 3.2 to 3.8 depending on the school. The most competitive programs, like UC Berkeley and Ohio State, reported average GPAs of 3.75 and 3.72 with some of the highest OAT scores in the country. Less selective programs admitted students with averages closer to 3.2 or 3.3. If your GPA falls on the lower end, you’re not automatically disqualified, but you’ll want a strong OAT score and well-chosen application schools to balance things out.
What Happens During Optometry School
The four-year OD curriculum moves from classroom learning to hands-on patient care in a fairly predictable arc.
Your first year covers the fundamentals: anatomy, physiology, vision science, and optics, along with introductions to public health and clinical decision-making. Expect mornings packed with labs and small-group seminars and afternoons filled with lectures. Second year deepens that foundation with advanced optics, ocular disease, pharmacology, and practice management. You’ll also begin weekly clinical clerkships, seeing real patients at college-affiliated eye care centers.
Third year shifts the balance toward direct patient care. While coursework expands into advanced diagnostics and disease management, you’ll rotate through community health centers, VA hospitals, schools, and private practices. This is also the year most students prepare for their board exams. By fourth year, you’re functioning as a full-time clinical extern, completing four rotations in primary care, advanced care, specialty care, and an elective area you choose based on your interests.
The Seven-Year Shortcut
If you know early that optometry is your goal, accelerated programs can save you a full year. These “3+4” joint degree programs let you enter optometry school after just three years of undergraduate work. You complete your bachelor’s degree using credits from your first year of optometry school, then finish the remaining three years of the OD program as usual.
SUNY College of Optometry runs one of the most established versions, partnering with 24 undergraduate institutions including schools like Lehigh University, Pace University, and several SUNY campuses. You apply to the joint program as a college freshman, and if you maintain the required academic standing through your three undergraduate years, you move directly into the OD program. The total timeline: seven years from your first college class to your optometry degree.
Licensing After Graduation
Earning your OD degree doesn’t mean you can start seeing patients the next day. Every state requires a license to practice optometry, and each state runs its own licensing process with its own standards. You’ll need to pass the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) exams, which are divided into three parts covering applied science, patient assessment, and clinical skills. Most students take these exams during their third and fourth years of optometry school, so much of the testing is already behind you by graduation.
The state application process itself varies in length and complexity. Some states also require additional education or certification before granting expanded clinical privileges, such as the ability to prescribe certain medications or perform minor procedures. The scope of what optometrists can legally do differs significantly from state to state, so where you plan to practice matters.
Optional Residency Training
A residency isn’t required to practice optometry, but it’s an increasingly popular choice for graduates who want deeper expertise in a specific area. Optometric residencies last one year and involve intensive clinical training in a specialty. Available specialties include family practice, pediatrics, low vision, contact lenses, ocular disease, binocular vision, and rehabilitative optometry.
If you pursue a residency, your total training time extends to nine years (or eight with an accelerated undergraduate path). Residency-trained optometrists often have an edge when applying for positions in hospitals, VA systems, or academic settings where specialized skills are valued.
Total Timeline at a Glance
- Standard path: 8 years (4 undergraduate + 4 OD program)
- Accelerated 3+4 program: 7 years
- With optional residency: 8 to 9 years total
- Licensing exams: mostly completed during optometry school, with state processing time after graduation
For comparison, optometry training in the United States is longer than in some other countries. In the UK, for example, the core optometry degree is shorter, and some programs condense the equivalent clinical content into fewer years. The four-year doctoral model is distinctly American, reflecting the broader clinical scope that U.S. optometrists hold, including the ability to diagnose and manage eye diseases and prescribe medications in all 50 states.