2027 Best Value Optometry Schools in the Southeast Region
[Optometry](/majors/health-care-professions/optometry/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for optometry students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Optometry Schools in the Southeast Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the optometry degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Optometry Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Alabama At Birmingham the best value for a degree in optometry in the Southeast Region. Located in the city of Birmingham, University Of Alabama At Birmingham is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,098 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $22,562. Typical student debt for optometry graduates is $26,162. Early-career optometry graduates make about $97,611. That is a strong return on a $26,162 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Pikeville College one of the best values for optometry. Located in the town of Pikeville, Pikeville College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $24,850 in tuition and fees. Optometry graduates carry a median of $22,966 in student loans. Optometry graduates of Pikeville College earn a median of $120,196 early in their careers. Set against $22,966 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Nova Southeastern University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value optometry schools. Located in the suburb of Fort Lauderdale, Nova Southeastern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $38,700 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for optometry graduates is $25,021. Optometry graduates of Nova Southeastern University earn a median of $88,293 early in their careers. Set against $25,021 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 73%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 3 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.
