2027 Best Value Optical Enginering Schools
[Optical Enginering](/majors/engineering/ee-electrical-engineering/laser-optical-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong optical enginering education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value optical enginering schools.
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Finding the Best Value Optical Enginering School for You
The right optical enginering school can pay off for years to come. That is why we developed our Best Value Optical Enginering Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
Read more about our methodology
One Size Does Not Fit All
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Optical Enginering Schools list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
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2027 Best Value Optical Enginering Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in optical enginering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Optical Enginering Schools
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earned the #1 spot for value among optical enginering schools in the United States. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. In-state tuition and fees average $18,848, with out-of-state students paying around $63,081. Students borrow a median of $18,667 to complete the optical enginering program here. Optical Enginering graduates of University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earn a median of $66,254 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $18,667 median debt. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor admits about 16% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Central Florida one of the best values for optical enginering. Set in the suburb of Orlando, University Of Central Florida is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,368, compared with $22,467 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,880 to complete the optical enginering program here. Early-career optical enginering graduates make about $87,042. That is a strong return on a $26,880 median debt. Roughly 40% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Massachusetts Dartmouth came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value optical enginering schools. Set in the suburb of North Dartmouth, University Of Massachusetts Dartmouth is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,612, with out-of-state students paying around $32,567. Typical student debt for optical enginering graduates is $27,500. Optical Enginering graduates of University Of Massachusetts Dartmouth earn a median of $54,669 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 91%.
University Of Rochester is a great value for students pursuing a degree in optical enginering, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Rochester, University Of Rochester is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $67,080. Optical Enginering graduates carry a median of $18,750 in student loans. Optical Enginering graduates of University Of Rochester earn a median of $83,705 early in their careers. Set against $18,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 40% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in optical enginering will find it at University Of Dayton, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Dayton, University Of Dayton is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $49,140. Students borrow a median of $26,625 to complete the optical enginering program here. Soon after graduation, optical enginering degree recipients from University Of Dayton generally make around $87,094. Set against $26,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 65% of applicants are accepted.
Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology earned the #6 position for value in optical enginering this year. Located in the city of Terre Haute, Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $56,046 in tuition and fees. Optical Enginering graduates carry a median of $26,161 in student loans. Soon after graduation, optical enginering degree recipients from Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology generally make around $80,062. That is a strong return on a $26,161 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
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Explore other best-value rankings in majors related to Optical Enginering. See all related rankings.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
