2022 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Optometry (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Optometry is the 193rd most popular major in the country with 1,666 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, optometry graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $83,824 and had an average of $167,326 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southwest region, there were 234 optometry graduates with average earnings and debt of $88,067 and $172,300 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 234 optometry graduates with average earnings and debt of $71,970 and $95,025 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 3 colleges that offered a degree in optometry. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality optometry programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the optometry program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 3 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Optometry (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region

#1

University of Houston

Houston, Texas

#2 in overall quality

$18,689 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Houston. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Houston is a large school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 95 doctorate’s optometry degrees in 2019-2020.

UH also made our “Best Optometry Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #2. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Houston are $18,689, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full UH Optometry Report

#2

Northeastern State University

Tahlequah, Oklahoma

#4 in overall quality

$10,600 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northeastern State University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and it awarded 28 doctorate’s optometry degrees in 2019-2020.

NSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Optometry Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Northeastern State University are $10,600.

Read full report on Optometry at NSU

#3

University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, Texas

#3 in overall quality

$19,242 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of the Incarnate Word. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Optometry Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of the Incarnate Word is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Antonio, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 59 doctorate’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIW, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Optometry Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of the Incarnate Word are $19,242.

Read more about Optometry at University of the Incarnate Word

• Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Optometry (Income $0-$30k)

Notes and References

References

• 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).
• Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

• *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
• Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Featured Schools

Request Info

Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More >