2027 Best Value Optometric Technician/Assistant Schools
[Optometric Technician/Assistant](/majors/health-care-professions/ophthalmic-optometric-support-services/optometric-technician-assistant/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong optometric technician/assistant education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 11 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value optometric technician/assistant schools.
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Finding the Best Value Optometric Technician/Assistant School for You
Where you study optometric technician/assistant affects both what you pay and what you earn. That is why we developed our Best Value Optometric Technician/Assistant Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
Learn more about our methodology
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value Optometric Technician/Assistant Schools list, to help you choose. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
Read more about College Factual’s methodology
2027 Best Value Optometric Technician/Assistant Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the optometric technician/assistant degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Optometric Technician/Assistant Schools
Our analysis ranked Durham Technical Community College the best value for a degree in optometric technician/assistant in the United States. Located in the city of Durham, Durham Technical Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,240, while out-of-state students pay about $7,531. Students borrow a median of $20,408 to complete the optometric technician/assistant program here. Early-career optometric technician/assistant graduates make about $61,860. Set against $20,408 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Hillsborough Community College earned it the #2 place for optometric technician/assistant. Hillsborough Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Tampa. Students from in state pay about $2,491 in tuition and fees, compared with $9,088 for out-of-state students. Optometric Technician/assistant graduates carry a median of $19,464 in student loans. Early-career optometric technician/assistant graduates make about $44,101. That is a strong return on a $19,464 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Raritan Valley Community College earned it the #3 place for optometric technician/assistant. Set in the rural area of Branchburg, Raritan Valley Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,664 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $7,584. Optometric Technician/assistant graduates carry a median of $9,668 in student loans. Soon after graduation, optometric technician/assistant degree recipients from Raritan Valley Community College generally make around $47,248. That is a strong return on a $9,668 median debt.
Cape Coral Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in optometric technician/assistant, landing the #4 spot this year. Cape Coral Technical College is a small public school located in the city of Cape Coral. Optometric Technician/assistant graduates of Cape Coral Technical College earn a median of $25,282 early in their careers.
Students looking for strong value in optometric technician/assistant will find it at National University College Bayamon, which ranked #5. National University College Bayamon is a very large private for-profit school located in the city of Bayamon. Students from in state pay about $12,723 in tuition and fees, compared with $13,886 for out-of-state students. Optometric Technician/assistant graduates carry a median of $14,583 in student loans. Early-career optometric technician/assistant graduates make about $21,933. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Tyler Junior College earned the #6 position for value in optometric technician/assistant this year. Set in the city of Tyler, Tyler Junior College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,424, while out-of-state students pay about $4,536. Students borrow a median of $14,869 to complete the optometric technician/assistant program here. Optometric Technician/assistant graduates of Tyler Junior College earn a median of $43,348 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Inter American University Of Puerto Rico Ponce ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value optometric technician/assistant schools. Set in the rural area of Mercedita, Inter American University Of Puerto Rico Ponce is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $5,780 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $7,869 to complete the optometric technician/assistant program here. Soon after graduation, optometric technician/assistant degree recipients from Inter American University Of Puerto Rico Ponce generally make around $17,850. Set against $7,869 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 34%.
Pontifical Catholic University Of Puerto Rico Arecibo placed #8 among the best values for optometric technician/assistant. Pontifical Catholic University Of Puerto Rico Arecibo is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Arecibo. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,550. Students borrow a median of $15,561 to complete the optometric technician/assistant program here. Early-career optometric technician/assistant graduates make about $20,825. That is a strong return on a $15,561 median debt. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
Pontifical Catholic University Of Puerto Rico Mayaguez ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value optometric technician/assistant schools. Pontifical Catholic University Of Puerto Rico Mayaguez is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Mayaguez. In-state tuition and fees average $6,550. Typical student debt for optometric technician/assistant graduates is $15,755. Early-career optometric technician/assistant graduates make about $18,143. Set against $15,755 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
San Jacinto Community College landed the #10 spot for optometric technician/assistant value this year. Set in the city of Pasadena, San Jacinto Community College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $2,490, compared with $6,690 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,376 to complete the optometric technician/assistant program here. Optometric Technician/assistant graduates of San Jacinto Community College earn a median of $38,107 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,376 median debt.
Georgia Piedmont Technical College landed the #11 spot for optometric technician/assistant value this year. Georgia Piedmont Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Clarkston. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,404, compared with $5,954 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,716 to complete the optometric technician/assistant program here. Optometric Technician/assistant graduates of Georgia Piedmont Technical College earn a median of $42,073 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,716 median debt.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 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.
