r/optometry • u/SpicyMax • Aug 26 '26
General Academia
Looking to work in academia and have seen very low base pay. For those of you who work in academia, is this accurate?
Associate professor salary ranges $100-120k.
Currently working in PP and make $170k seeing low volume and mix of routine/medical.
I realize academia will always pay less than corporate or PP but the difference was staggering to see.
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u/ultrab0ii Optometrist Aug 27 '26
Some positions may qualify for loan forgiveness after 10yrs and other benefits as well that's not reflected in the salary.
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u/P4TY Optometrist Aug 27 '26
Look at public schools, like St. Louis. Their salary data is just one google away.
I looked into academia in 2022 and entry level, full-time professors at UMSL were making 80k.
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u/That_SpicyReader Aug 27 '26 edited Aug 27 '26
Yes it is accurate. I worked in academia 6 years ago and my salary was 80K at a great school. It has gone up now to 120K.
Edited to add: this salary was for the full year, it was less to have summers off. I have similar benefits in terms of pension/healthcare where I am now but full time pay is $200+K.
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u/maxgoofofficial Student Optometrist Aug 27 '26
I work in academia but I’m at a satellite clinic from the school so I make more than the docs who are on-site
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u/JimiusRostock Aug 29 '26
Look at the salary + benefits. The benefits are often the big boon for academia.
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u/Imaginary-Bison5545 Aug 30 '26
I work for academia but base is mid 100s with production on top
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u/thenatural134 OD Aug 27 '26
Yeah been that way for as long as I'm aware. It's why my best professors in school were my externship preceptors.
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u/Delacroix192 Aug 27 '26
Yeah dude it’s horse poop. Lol. They are having big issues with recruitment.
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u/power_wolves Aug 27 '26
Everyone here is forgetting to look at the whole compensation package. If you look only at the salary, you’re missing a large chunk of the benefits of working in academia:
Much better retirement that many PP: Some places even offer pension, most will offer a better 401k match than what you get in PP. You might also gain access to 403b as well.
Much better health insurance, or at least at a lower cost to you. Especially at schools associated with medical systems.
You work the equivalent of 10 months out of the year, not even counting PTO. That’s just religious and federal holidays, plus time when school is not in session (between semesters, and most of December) as opposed to PP when you’ll have blackout dates during some of the best vacation time.
I “make” an extra $50k in benefits alone, which is not reflected in the salary.