For your reference, below is a list of all US optometry schools and some key characteristics for each school.
This data has been updated effective August 2023, using the latest data available from the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry and reported on the school’s websites. For the tuition costs, we listed the tuition only where provided; most schools have additional fees, which can increase the cost of attendance. In cases where the tuition varied by year, we averaged the costs across the length of the program.
Overview of US Optometry Schools
| School | Avg GPA Admitted Applicants | AA Avg OAT Admitted Applicants | TS Avg OAT Admitted Applicants | Bachelor’s Degree Required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Optometry | 3.67 | 325 | 319 | Preferred |
| Midwestern Univ, Arizona College of Optometry | 3.54 | 317 | 307 | Yes |
| Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University | 3.6 | 345 | 344 | No |
| University of California- Berkeley, School of Optometry | 3.59 | 340 | 340 | Yes |
| Western University of Health Sciences, College of Optometry | 3.31 | 318 | 309 | No |
| Nova Southeastern University, College of Optometry | 3.54 | 332 | 328 | No |
| Chicago College of Optometry, Midwestern University | 3.48 | 311 | 301 | Yes |
| Illinois College of Optometry | 3.51 | 323 | 315 | No, strongly recommended |
| Indiana University, School of Optometry | 3.76 | Not Available | Not Available | No |
| University of Pikeville, Kentucky College of Optometry | 3.43 | 316 | 303 | No |
| Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, School of Optometry | 3.43 | 321 | 312 | No |
| New England College of Optometry | 3.55 | 336 | 333 | No |
| Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University | 3.67 | 335 | 327 | Preferred |
| Univ. of Missouri at St. Louis, College of Optometry | 3.50 | 315 | 300 | Preferred |
| State Univ of New York, State College of Optometry | 3.6 | 345 | 343 | Strongly Recommended |
| The Ohio State University, College of Optometry | 3.72 | 345 | 343 | No |
| Northeastern State University, Oklahoma College of Optometry | 3.67 | 318 | 306 | No |
| Pacific University, College of Optometry | 3.55 | 333 | 327 | No |
| Salus University Pennsylvania College of Optometry | 3.44 | 315 | 307 | No |
| Inter American University, School of Optometry | 3.24 | 290 | 275 | No |
| Southern College of Optometry | 3.66 | 336 | 330 | Strongly Preferred |
| Univ of the Incarnate Word, Rosenberg School of Optometry | 3.55 | 326 | 319 | No |
| University of Houston, College of Optometry | 3.66 | 339 | 336 | Yes |
How to Get Into Optometry School
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School Profiles
Below is a list of different optometry schools and a few facts or characteristics of each school, although this is not an exhaustive list by any means. The information was gathered from each school’s website, social media platforms, and SDN forums.
University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Optometry
- Public
- Tuition:
- Resident $29,841
- Non-Resident $54,012
- Small class size
- Located on a large university campus
Midwestern Univ, Arizona College of Optometry
- Private
- Tuition: $47,626
- Great location and weather
- On an interprofessional university campus
Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University
- Private
- Tuition: $49,230
- Interprofessional education
- Great weather all year round
University of California – Berkeley, School of Optometry
- Public
- Tuition:
- In-State $45,044
- Out-of-State $57,289
- Optional research opportunities/programs
- All students enroll in summer session in second and third year of program
Western University of Health Sciences, College of Optometry
- Private
- Tuition: $45,058
- Great weather all year round
- Newer school with new facilities
Nova Southeastern University, College of Optometry
- Private
- Tuition: $40,500
- Eye Care Institute with five locations
- Multidisciplinary learning
- Lots of technology integrated into the classroom and lab
Chicago College of Optometry, Midwestern University
- Private
- Tuition: $47,424
- On an interprofessional university campus
- MMI style interviews
- Newest school with brand-new facilities,
- First class graduated 2021
- Private
- Tuition: $45,705
- On quarter system
- Great clinical exposure
- Has conveniently located residence center
Indiana University, School of Optometry
- Public
- Tuition:
- Resident: $32,952
- Non-Resident $45,488
- Do not have traditional interview
- Located on a large university campus
University of Pikeville, Kentucky College of Optometry
- Private
- Tuition: $46,250
- New school, new facilities including a nice food court
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, School of Optometry
- Private
- Tuition: $49,140
- Students begin seeing patients independently in their second year
New England College of Optometry
- Private
- Tuition:
- Four-Year Program: $46,316
- Accelerated Program: $63,362
- Beautiful city, lots to do in walking distance, no need for car
- Offers an accelerated program
Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University
- Private
- Tuition: $40,420
- Class size of only 36 students; virtually personalized education
- Located on a large university campus
University of Missouri at St. Louis, College of Optometry
- Public
- Tuition:
- Resident $28,160
- Non-Resident $46,480
- Family feel
- Small class; 45 students
State University of New York, State College of Optometry
- Public
- Tuition:
- Resident $30,710
- Non-Resident $51,660
- Located in the heart of Manhattan, providing a diverse patient base
The Ohio State University, College of Optometry
- Public
- Tuition:
- Resident $27,474
- Non-Resident $48,530
- Recently renovated clinic
- Located on a large undergraduate campus
Northeastern State University, Oklahoma College of Optometry
- Public
- Tuition:
- Resident $24,027
- Non-Resident $47,648
- Small class size; 28 students
Pacific University, College of Optometry
- Private
- Tuition: $48,618
- One rotation in Portland area and three offsite locations during fourth year
Salus University College of Optometry
- Private
- Tuition
- Traditional Program: $47,180
- Scholars Program: $47,860
- Has a three-year OD scholars program
- Interprofessional learning
Inter-American University, School of Optometry
- Private
- Tuition: $28,563
- Diverse student population from Puerto Rico, United States, and the world
- Bilingual environment
- Private
- Tuition
- Regional – Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina – $21,736
- Regional – Kansas: $35,036
- Regional – Tennessee: $28,718
- Regional – West Virginia: $30,036
- Non-Regional: $41,536
- Has many scholarship options
- Promotes a family culture
- Conversational closed file interview
University of the Incarnate Word, Rosenberg School of Optometry
- Private
- Tuition: $40,500
- Faith-based
University of Houston, College of Optometry
- Public
- Tuition
- Resident $27,090
- Non-Resident: $46,106
- Strong research programs