by our College Data Analytics Team
If you’re a veteran, service member, or military-affiliated student looking to study optics/optical sciences. at the Master’s Degree level, you’ve come to the right place. This ranking highlights 6 programs that stand out for veteran optics/optical sciences. students, using our 2026 methodology.
This ranking is based on the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students: affordability and veteran financial benefits (including GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon support), academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community. To help you decide, College Factual evaluated colleges nationwide, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Explore the best optics/optical sciences. colleges for veterans at a specific degree level:
Learn more about these veteran-friendly optics/optical sciences. colleges below:
Leading the list is University of New Mexico-Main Campus, our #1 optics/optical sciences. college for veterans. It scores 85.0 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 100.0 veteran-support score. Read more about optics/optical sciences. at University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Veteran students seeking a strong optics/optical sciences. program will find one at University of North Carolina at Charlotte, which ranked #2. The school's overall veterans score is 82.7 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. More about the optics/optical sciences. program at University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of Arizona is a great choice for veterans pursuing optics/optical sciences., landing the #3 spot this year. It scores 78.0 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. More about the optics/optical sciences. program at University of Arizona
Montana State University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best optics/optical sciences. colleges for veterans. Montana State University scores 74.0 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. More about the optics/optical sciences. program at Montana State University
A rank of #5 makes University of Rochester one of the top optics/optical sciences. colleges for veteran students. University of Rochester scores 72.5 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 42.1, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about optics/optical sciences. at University of Rochester
Rochester Institute of Technology came in at #6 for veteran optics/optical sciences. students this year. Rochester Institute of Technology scores 71.8 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 47.6, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full optics/optical sciences. report for Rochester Institute of Technology
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
We measure this ranking on the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students studying optics/optical sciences.: affordability and veteran financial benefits (GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon), academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community.
These rankings are produced by College Factual, 2026 edition.
References
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.
