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2022 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Optometry (With Aid)

13 Ranked Colleges
1,666 Degrees Awarded
$23,000 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 1,666 people earned their degree in optometry, making the major the 193rd most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, optometry graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $83,824 and had an average of $167,326 in loans still to pay off.

At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,666 optometry graduates with average earnings and debt of $72,680 and $116,043 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 13 colleges that offer a degree in optometry. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent optometry programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the optometry program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for doctor’s degree optometry students with aid.

Top 13 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Optometry (With Aid)

#1

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#9 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Bloomington. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid list. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s optometry degrees to 68 students in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also made our “Best Optometry Doctor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #9. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - Bloomington are $33,338.

Full Indiana University - Bloomington Optometry Report

#2

Northeastern State University

Tahlequah, Oklahoma
#19 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northeastern State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid. NSU is a medium-sized public school situated in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. It awarded 28 doctorate’s optometry degrees in 2019-2020.

NSU also made our “Best Optometry Doctor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #19. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northeastern State University are $10,600, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full NSU Optometry Report

#3

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#18 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Missouri - St Louis. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s optometry degrees to 46 students in 2019-2020.

UMSL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Optometry Doctor’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Missouri - St Louis are $30,154.

Read more about Optometry at University of Missouri - St Louis

#4

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, Michigan
#16 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ferris State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid. Big Rapids, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s optometry degrees to 33 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our doctor’s degree optometry students with aid list, Ferris has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Optometry Doctor’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Ferris State University are $7,908, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Optometry at Ferris

#5

University of Houston

Houston, Texas
#13 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Houston. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid list. UH is a large school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 95 doctorate’s optometry degrees in 2019-2020.

UH did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Optometry Doctor’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UH are $18,689.

Read full report on Optometry at University of Houston

#2 in overall quality

University of California - Berkeley ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 66 doctorate’s optometry degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley also took the #2 spot in our “Best Optometry Doctor’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Berkeley are $29,347, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Optometry at University of California - Berkeley

#7

University of Pikeville

Pikeville, Kentucky
#20 in overall quality

University of Pikeville did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Pikeville, Kentucky, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 36 degrees to qualified doctorate’s optometry students in 2019-2020.

UPIKE also made our “Best Optometry Doctor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #20. Average graduate tuition and fees at UPIKE are $8,100, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Optometry at UPIKE

#14 in overall quality

University of Alabama at Birmingham did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. UAB is a public institution located in Birmingham, Alabama. The school has a large population, and it awarded 41 doctorate’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UAB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Optometry Doctor’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UAB are $19,188.

Read more about Optometry at University of Alabama at Birmingham

#12 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid ranking. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a large school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 63 doctorate’s optometry degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Optometry Doctor’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio State University - Main Campus are $37,141, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Optometry Report

#10

University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, Texas
#17 in overall quality

University of the Incarnate Word ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid list. University of the Incarnate Word is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Antonio, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 59 doctorate’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIW, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Optometry Doctor’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIW are $19,242, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of the Incarnate Word Optometry Report

#11

Pacific University

Forest Grove, Oregon

Pacific University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. Pacific is located in Forest Grove, Oregon and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 91 doctorate’s optometry degrees to qualified students.

Pacific not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Optometry Doctor’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Pacific University are $35,325, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Pacific Optometry Report

#12

Nova Southeastern University

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Nova Southeastern University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. NUS Florida is a large school located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that handed out 87 doctorate’s optometry degrees in 2019-2020.

NUS Florida also made our “Best Optometry Doctor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #15. Average graduate tuition and fees at Nova Southeastern University are $22,242, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Optometry at NUS Florida

#11 in overall quality

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate For Those Getting Aid list. This medium-sized school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 50 doctorate’s optometry degrees in 2019-2020.

MCPHS University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Optometry Doctor’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences are $23,280, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Optometry at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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