Optometry graduates from Northeastern State University earn $119,476 median salary — below the national average for this program. Median debt: $158,826.
Optometry at Northeastern State University
Tahlequah, Oklahoma • First Professional
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Optometry at Northeastern State University
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Northeastern State University and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Optometry at the first professional credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 28 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Northeastern State University, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $119,476 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $129,758 across all institutions offering Optometry, graduates here earn below the national average for this program. Across all programs at Northeastern State University, the mean median-earnings figure is $54,460, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Optometry graduates at Northeastern State University is $158,826, which translates to roughly $1,324 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.33 is above the 1.0 threshold, meaning cumulative debt exceeds first-year post-completion earnings. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Optometry at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | $145,890 | $164,956 |
| Drexel University | $139,102 | — |
| Ferris State University | $138,837 | $144,874 |
| University of Missouri-St Louis | $138,537 | $167,750 |
| Indiana University-Bloomington | $134,609 | $177,626 |
| Illinois College of Optometry | $133,895 | $240,830 |
| University of the Incarnate Word | $133,498 | $238,257 |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus | $132,661 | $175,334 |
| University of California-Berkeley | $130,333 | $151,667 |
| MCPHS University | $129,752 | $225,520 |
Other Programs at Northeastern State University
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Optometry (current) | $119,476 | $158,826 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $96,702 | $12,500 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $82,883 | $46,939 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $81,944 | $16,000 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | $75,505 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | $72,796 | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | $69,399 | $32,894 |
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | $69,276 | $14,924 |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities | $68,219 | — |
| Computer Science | $67,854 | $19,000 |
Other Schools with Optometry
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.