New data reported earlier this month found an overwhelming majority of students entering into optometry school this fall are women—and this isn’t the first year.
While the trend of women enrolling in optometry schools has steadily risen in the last few years, their presence in the optometric world is still relatively recent when compared to men.
From incoming optometric classes to current practicing optometrists, we’ll give you the rundown on just how far women have come—and how far there is to go.
First, a broader look at women optometrists.
We’ll take you back to modern optometry in the early 20th century—just when women were beginning to increasingly gain access to higher education in the United States.
- A notable pioneer: Gertrude Stanton, OD, credited as the first woman in the U.S. licensed to practice optometry—though, technically, she only received her license “by exemption” in 1901—who later ran an all-female optical business.
And after Dr. Stanton?
By 1912, a reported 500 optometrists (ODs) in the U.S. were female—however, by 1968, there were only 368 female ODs (representing 2.1% of active ODs in the country at that time) and just 2.9% female enrollees at U.S. optometry schools.
Fast forward: Women made up 19% of optometry school enrollees in 1979, which increased to 44% by 1989.
And in the 21st century?
Women accounted for 54% of enrollees in the 1999-2000 academic year—surpassing men—and continued to dominate at 64% by 2009-2010 and 68% in 2017-2018.
Which brings us to this year’s stats?
Indeed. Women in Optometry (WIO) released data earlier this month that, out of over 2,000 students starting their first semester at 26 optometry schools (as the class of 2028) in North America*—71% are women.
- Further:
- Four of those schools reported women accounting for at least 80% of the class.
- All but one school (Rocky Mountain University College of Optometry) noted at least 50% women among the class of 2028
And historically-speaking: This marks the fourth straight year that women account for 70% or higher in an incoming class.
*This includes Puerto Rico and Canada.
How does this trend compare to previous years?
Based on data reported by WIO (originally collected by the North American Schools and Colleges of Optometry), the percentage of women enrolled in first-year optometry classes over the last 16 years has steadily grown:
- 63% in the class of 2013
- 68% in the class of 2018
- 69% in the class of 2022
- 70% in the class of 2026
In terms of class size: The number of enrollees in each year’s entering class has increased from 1,803 (for the class of 2013) to 2,078 (for the class of 2028), WIO reported—equating to a 15% jump,
And to real-world numbers?
WIO reported in January 2024 that the percentage of women ODs in the U.S. increased 1% from 2022 to 2023.
- However, while the U.S. optometric workforce in 2022 was nearly 43K, women comprised just 48.6% of practicing optometrists, according to Data USA.
How did this break down by demographics?
In 2022, the majority of practicing ODs (70%) were White (of which 43% were women), while women accounts for the following percentages of two other races::
- 18.9% Black (of which 60% women)
- 4.2% Hispanic
- Of which 47.5% of women were Mexican
- Of which 39.4% of women were Puerto Rican
- Of which 13.2% of women were Cuban
- 2.8% Asian (of which 66% women)
And in terms of average pay among ODs?
Also in 2022, the average salary for a woman OD was about $106K (compared to $154K for men).
To note: This encompasses those ODs working in private practice as well as those employed by a clinical practice or institution—and we haven’t even touched on how years of experience (which also depicts a significant difference between genders) plays a role.
- Fast forward to 2023: Women ODs’ average salary rose to $151,271
- Compare this to $235,162 for male ODs
Why the gender gap?
A major factor that could be coming into play: occupational feminization, or when an occupation (such as optometry) becomes dominated by women.
Why: Research has found that occupations with a greater share of women often pay less than those with a lower share—and occupations with a growing number of women pay less over time.
- Based on this notion, one implied assumption is that work in predominantly women-held jobs is devalued by both employers and prospective employees due to the low status of the jobs’ incumbents—and that pay in those jobs is lower because women fill them.
As such: This factor has been linked to an overall decline in pay for a specific occupation, particularly among those with higher education, over the last six decades.
- In optometry: As the number of women in the profession increases, it will be crucial to track how the overall valuation of the profession changes—especially when it comes to starting salaries and growth potential.
Interesting … and what does this mean on a big-picture scale?
Gender pay gap aside, the year-over-year data supports the notion that the number of practicing women ODs in the United States is steadily increasing—and has been since the start of the 21st century.
Case in point: In 2012, just 40% of practicing ODs were women, compared to 48% in 2023, translating to a near-10% increase.
And for the future?
Even with the ever-present pay gap between genders, this upward swing of women enrollees surpassing men in optometry schools across North America is proof that the future of optometry is looking more female by the year.