2023 Most Popular Colleges for Optometry
23
Ranked Colleges
1,822
Degrees Awarded
$31,600
Avg Cost*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Optometry Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Optometry is the 194th most popular major in the country with 1,822 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, optometry graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $88,635 and had an average of $0 in loans still to pay off.
This year’s “Most Well Attended Optometry Major” ranking looked at 23 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in optometry. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular optometry programs in the United States.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Optometry Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Most Well Attended Optometry Major
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Optometry Major”.
Top 23 Most Popular Colleges for Optometry
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Salus University. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended Optometry Major. Salus University is a small school located in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania that handed out 166 ’s optometry degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full Salus University Optometry Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend New England College of Optometry. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Optometry Major list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 137 degrees to qualified ’s optometry students in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Full New England College of Optometry Optometry Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern College of Optometry. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Optometry Major list. Southern College of Optometry is located in Memphis, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 134 ’s optometry degrees to qualified students.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read more about Optometry at Southern College of Optometry
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Illinois College of Optometry. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Optometry Major. Illinois College of Optometry is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 126 ’s optometry degrees to qualified students.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on Optometry at Illinois College of Optometry
Out of the 23 schools in the Most Well Attended Optometry Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Nova Southeastern University landed the #5 spot on the list. NUS Florida is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 107 ’s optometry degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full NUS Florida Optometry Report
University of Houston ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Optometry Major list. UH is a large public school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 105 ’s optometry degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full UH Optometry Report
Marshall B Ketchum University ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Optometry Major list. Fullerton, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s optometry degrees to 98 students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Optometry at MBKU
SUNY College of Optometry did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Optometry Major ranking, coming in at #8. Located in New York, New York, this small public school awarded 90 degrees to qualified ’s optometry students in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full SUNY College of Optometry Optometry Report
Pacific University ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Optometry Major list. Located in Forest Grove, Oregon, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 88 diplomas to qualified ’s optometry students in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Pacific Optometry Report
Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Optometry Major ranking, coming in at #10. IU Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 84 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Optometry at Indiana University - Bloomington
Western University of Health Sciences landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Optometry Major ranking. Located in Pomona, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 75 degrees to qualified ’s optometry students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full Western University of Health Sciences Optometry Report
With a ranking of #12, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Optometry Major list. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 65 ’s optometry degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Optometry Report
With a ranking of #13, University of the Incarnate Word did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Optometry Major 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 64 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Optometry at University of the Incarnate Word
University of California - Berkeley did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Optometry Major ranking, coming in at #13. UC Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 83 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Optometry at UC Berkeley
University of Pikeville did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Optometry Major ranking, coming in at #15. University of Pikeville is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pikeville, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 55 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Optometry at University of Pikeville
With a ranking of #16, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Optometry Major list. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 53 ’s optometry degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Optometry Report
Midwestern University - Glendale came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Optometry Major ranking. This small school is located in Glendale, Arizona, and it awarded 50 ’s optometry degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Optometry at Midwestern University - Glendale
University of Alabama at Birmingham did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Optometry Major ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Birmingham, Alabama, this large public school handed out 50 diplomas to qualified ’s optometry students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
Read more about Optometry at UAB
University of Missouri - St Louis ranked #19 on this year’s Most Well Attended Optometry Major list. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 47 ’s optometry degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Optometry at University of Missouri - St Louis
With a ranking of #20, Midwestern University - Downers Grove did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Optometry Major list. Midwestern University - Downers Grove is located in Downers Grove, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 41 ’s optometry degrees to qualified students.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read more about Optometry at Midwestern University - Downers Grove
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