2026 Best Value Optics/Optical Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region
[Optics/Optical Sciences](/majors/physical-sciences/physics/optics-optical-sciences/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong optics/optical sciences education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for optics/optical sciences students.
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2026 Best Value Optics/Optical Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in optics/optical sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Optics/Optical Sciences Schools
Leading the list is University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, our #1 best value for optics/optical sciences in the Southeast Region. Set in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,239, with out-of-state students paying around $22,492. Typical student debt for optics/optical sciences graduates is $28,750. Soon after graduation, optics/optical sciences degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Charlotte generally make around $70,150. Set against $28,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Clemson University one of the best values for optics/optical sciences. Located in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,554, compared with $40,866 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for optics/optical sciences graduates is $23,783. Early-career optics/optical sciences graduates make about $53,834. That is a strong return on a $23,783 median debt. Clemson University admits about 38% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
