by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools in the Southeast Region to determine which ones were the best for optometry students pursuing a doctor's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 355 doctor's degrees in optometry to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The optometry doctor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To account for this we consider a college's overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their doctor's degree from the school. After all, your doctor's degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for optometry students working on their doctor's degree.
The optometry school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Optometry Doctor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a doctor's degree in optometry.
It's difficult to beat Nova Southeastern University if you wish to pursue a doctor's degree in optometry. Located in the large suburb of Fort Lauderdale, NUS Florida is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.
Soon after graduating, optometry doctorate recipients generally earn around $88,293 in their early careers.
More information about a doctorate in optometry from Nova Southeastern University
It's hard to beat University of Alabama at Birmingham if you want to pursue a doctor's degree in optometry. UAB is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Birmingham.More information about a doctorate in optometry from University of Alabama at Birmingham
Every student pursuing a degree in a doctor's degree in optometry has to take a look at University of Pikeville. UPIKE is a small private not-for-profit university located in the remote town of Pikeville.More information about a doctorate in optometry from University of Pikeville
Explore the best optometry schools for a specific state in the Southeast Region .
One of 34 majors within the Health Professions area of study, Optometry has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Optometry | 355 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Medicine | 7,234 |
| Nursing | 3,832 |
| Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences | 3,638 |
| Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions | 3,614 |
| Dentistry | 1,241 |
| Chiropractic | 568 |
| Allied Health Professions | 380 |
| Public Health | 238 |
| Communication Sciences | 218 |
| Health & Medical Administrative Services | 109 |