Membership Types, Rates & Discounts
Your membership with the AOA, NYSOA, and your local optometric society is assessed annually on a calendar basis. New and reinstated members are eligible for proration of their dues on a monthly basis. Dues are assessed for the month in which the member joins and for all remaining months.
Active Members
Those optometrists, duly licensed and registered by the State of New York, who maintain an active practice of optometry over sixteen (16) hours per week.
2024 Dues Rates
AOA | NYSOA | Local |
$972 |
$822 |
Varies (see chart below) |
Optometric Educator Members
Optometrists and other individuals who are full-time educators primarily engaged in school-related activities such as teaching, research and administration.
2024 Dues Rates
AOA | NYSOA | Local |
$486 |
$486 |
Varies (see chart below) |
Partial Practice Members
An optometrist who works sixteen (16) or fewer hours per week in compensated optometrically-related activities is considered partial practice and is eligible to receive a 40% discount off AOA and NYSOA dues (Local Society dues remain at the full rate).
2024 Dues Rates
AOA | NYSOA | Local |
$583.20 |
$493.20 |
Varies (see chart below) |
Life Members
Lifetime membership is awarded through a nomination application process and carries $0 in annual dues. In order to be considered for Lifetime Membership, a member:
- Must have 45 years of cumulative AOA membership. Student membership is included in the accumulative years. Retired without Benefits is not included in the accumulative years.
- Must be a current member in good standing for at least one year prior to the transition into life membership. Member cannot transfer from retired without benefits to life membership.
- Members who provide medical certification of terminal or other serious debilitative illness may have the years of membership requirements waived, subject to approval.
Federal Service Members
Optometrists on active duty in the armed services of the United States or on active duty in the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service or a full time employee of the Veterans’ Administration or other federal governmental entity. Federal Services members must be in good standing with the American Optometric Association and shall pay local society dues only.
Retired Members: With Benefits and Without Benefits
An optometrist who has been an active, partial practice, or federal services member and is no longer engaged in compensated optometrically-related activities and has not been approved for life membership.
2024 Dues Rates
AOA | NYSOA | Local |
$100 |
$30 |
$0 |
Retired members who elect not to pay annual dues and are not eligible for Life Membership are considered Retired without Benefits members.
Post-graduate Members
A resident or intern in any program accredited or pre-accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education or by an accrediting body that the Board of Trustees, in its sole discretion, determines to be equivalent, and/or a full time enrollee in a graduate program.
2024 Dues Rates
AOA | NYSOA | Local |
$35 |
$0 |
$0 |
Student Members
Students who are regularly enrolled in courses leading to the O.D. degree at an accredited school or college of optometry or non-practicing optometrists who are full-time students at an accredited institution of higher education. There is no annual dues fee for student members.
Local Society 2023 Dues Rates
Central: $75
|
Eastern: $40
|
Hudson Valley: $50
|
Mohawk Valley: $75
|
Nassau: $75
|
Northern: $35
|
OSCONY: $100
|
Rochester: $40
|
South Central: $55
|
South Western: $50
|
Southern Tier: $50
|
SUNYCO: $40
|
Suffolk: $75
|
Western: $50
|
WRP: $85
|
Discounts
Spousal Discount
Married members are eligible for one spouse to receive a 50% reduction of the NYSOA portion of his or her dues.
Ascending Dues Schedule for Recent Grads
Newly licensed graduates are eligible for an ascending dues schedule effective during their first through fifth years of membership. New practitioners pay the percentage of full dues indicated.
Rate Code | Description | % of Annual Dues | NYSOA 2024 Dues | AOA 2024 Dues | Total (Full Year) |
Ascending 0 |
Graduation year |
0% |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 + local |
Ascending 1 |
1st full year following graduation |
10% |
$82.20 |
$97.20 |
$179.40 + local |
Ascending 2 |
2nd full year following graduation |
20% |
$164.40 |
$194.40 |
$358.80 + local |
Ascending 3 |
3rd full year following graduation |
50% |
$411.00 |
$486.00 |
$897.00 + local |
Ascending 4 |
4th full year following graduation |
75% |
$616.50 |
$729.00 |
$1,345.50 + local |
Ascending 5 |
5th full year following graduation |
100% |
$822.00 |
$972.00 |
$1,794.00 + local |
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