2026 Best Value Ophthalmic Technician/Technologist Associate’s Degree Schools
[Ophthalmic Technician/Technologist](/majors/health-care-professions/ophthalmic-optometric-support-services/ophthalmic-technician-technologist/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong ophthalmic technician/technologist education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 34 schools to find the best return on investment for ophthalmic technician/technologist students.
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2026 Best Value Ophthalmic Technician/Technologist Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in ophthalmic technician/technologist, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Ophthalmic Technician/Technologist Schools
For return on investment in ophthalmic technician/technologist, no school beat Henry Ford Community College this year. Located in the city of Dearborn, Henry Ford Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,568, compared with $7,816 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $18,876 to complete the ophthalmic technician/technologist program here. Early-career ophthalmic technician/technologist graduates make about $36,247. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Hillsborough Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in ophthalmic technician/technologist, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Tampa, Hillsborough Community College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,491, compared with $9,088 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,464 to complete the ophthalmic technician/technologist program here. Ophthalmic Technician/technologist graduates of Hillsborough Community College earn a median of $44,101 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Triton College earned it the #3 place for ophthalmic technician/technologist. Triton College is a large public school located in the suburb of River Grove. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,070, with out-of-state students paying around $15,330. Typical student debt for ophthalmic technician/technologist graduates is $12,994. Soon after graduation, ophthalmic technician/technologist degree recipients from Triton College generally make around $34,697. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Camden County College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value ophthalmic technician/technologist schools. Set in the suburb of Blackwood, Camden County College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,320, compared with $4,416 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,999 to complete the ophthalmic technician/technologist program here. Soon after graduation, ophthalmic technician/technologist degree recipients from Camden County College generally make around $39,549. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #5 makes Portland Community College one of the best values for ophthalmic technician/technologist. Set in the city of Portland, Portland Community College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,220, compared with $10,440 for out-of-state students. Ophthalmic Technician/technologist graduates carry a median of $20,648 in student loans. Early-career ophthalmic technician/technologist graduates make about $49,580. That is a strong return on a $20,648 median debt.
Volunteer State Community College earned the #6 position for value in ophthalmic technician/technologist this year. Set in the suburb of Gallatin, Volunteer State Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,756, while out-of-state students pay about $17,740. Typical student debt for ophthalmic technician/technologist graduates is $12,462. Soon after graduation, ophthalmic technician/technologist degree recipients from Volunteer State Community College generally make around $40,137. That is a strong return on a $12,462 median debt.
Broward College placed #7 among the best values for ophthalmic technician/technologist. Set in the city of Fort Lauderdale, Broward College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,830, while out-of-state students pay about $8,952. Ophthalmic Technician/technologist graduates carry a median of $13,110 in student loans. Ophthalmic Technician/technologist graduates of Broward College earn a median of $51,328 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Other Ophthalmic Technician/Technologist Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Ophthalmic Technician/Technologist rankings across degree levels:
View All Ophthalmic Technician/Technologist Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 34 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
