2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry
18
Ranked Colleges
1,822
Degrees Awarded
$30,600
Avg Cost*
Veterans have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
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 Veteran Friendly for Optometry” ranking analyzed 18 colleges that offered a degree in optometry. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality optometry programs as well as strong veteran support.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the optometry program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry”.
Top 18 Best Optometry Colleges for Veterans
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 65 ’s optometry degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our vets studying optometry list, Ohio State has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 61,369 students enrolled at Ohio State University - Main Campus, 2 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Read More…
Out of the 18 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #2 spot on the list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 84 ’s optometry degrees in 2020-2021.
IU Bloomington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, IU Bloomington supports 43,064 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Houston. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry. UH is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 105 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UH did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, UH supports 47,090 students, and 1,382 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 730 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,264. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Houston]](/colleges/university-of-houston/student-life/veterans/)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Alabama at Birmingham. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry. Located in Birmingham, Alabama, this large public school awarded 50 diplomas to qualified ’s optometry students in 2020-2021.
UAB also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 22,563 students enrolled at University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1,194 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 508 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,983. On top of their other funding sources, 15 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Alabama at Birmingham offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full University of Alabama at Birmingham Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of the Incarnate Word. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry list. San Antonio, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s optometry degrees to 64 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIW, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, UIW supports 7,917 students, and 1,174 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 761 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,131. To help with additional expenses, 87 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UIW does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full UIW Veteran Student Life Report
With a ranking of #6, University of Missouri - St Louis did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry list. University of Missouri - St Louis is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 47 ’s optometry degrees in 2020-2021.
UMSL also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 13,874 students enrolled at UMSL, 314 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 228 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,355. In addition to receiving other benefits, 2 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Missouri - St Louis]](/colleges/university-of-missouri-st-louis/student-life/veterans/)
Nova Southeastern University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry ranking, coming in at #7. 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.
In addition to being on our vets studying optometry list, NUS Florida has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Nova Southeastern University supports 20,888 students, and 522 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 335 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,213. During this same period, 70 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 More…
Ferris State University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry ranking. Ferris State University is located in Big Rapids, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 37 ’s optometry degrees to qualified students.
Ferris not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Ferris supports 11,165 students, and 377 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 189 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,426. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Ferris does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Full Ferris State University Veteran Student Life Report
University of Pikeville ranked #9 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry list. 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.
UPIKE did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 2,240 students enrolled at UPIKE, 30 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 14 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $11,297. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Pikeville]](/colleges/pikeville-college/student-life/veterans/)
Northeastern State University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and it awarded 28 ’s optometry degrees in 2020-2021.
NSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 7,349 students enrolled at NSU, 304 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 118 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,801. During this same period, 1 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
Salus University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry ranking, coming in at #11. This small school is located in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 166 ’s optometry degrees in 2020-2021.
Salus University also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 1,280 students enrolled at Salus University, 9 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,267. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Salus University Veteran Student Life Report
SUNY College of Optometry did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry ranking, coming in at #12. SUNY College of Optometry is a small public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 90 ’s optometry degrees in 2020-2021.
SUNY Optometry also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 402 students enrolled at SUNY Optometry, 2 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 2 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $15,179. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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.
Read More…
Pacific University ranked #13 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry list. Located in Forest Grove, Oregon, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 88 degrees to qualified ’s optometry students in 2020-2021.
Pacific also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 3,808 students enrolled at Pacific, 155 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 82 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $17,055. During this same period, 45 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Pacific Veteran Student Life Report
Midwestern University - Downers Grove ranked #14 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry list. Midwestern University - Downers Grove is a small school located in Downers Grove, Illinois that handed out 41 ’s optometry degrees in 2020-2021.
Midwestern University - Downers Grove did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Midwestern University - Downers Grove supports 2,980 students, and 17 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 7 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,360. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
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 Midwestern University - Downers Grove Veteran Student Life Report
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences ranked #15 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry list. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 53 ’s optometry degrees to qualified students.
MCPHS University also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences supports 7,501 students, and 16 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 7 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $26,279. On top of their other funding sources, 3 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences]](/colleges/massachusetts-college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/student-life/veterans/)
Western University of Health Sciences came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry ranking. Western University of Health Sciences is located in Pomona, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 75 ’s optometry degrees to qualified students.
Western University of Health Sciences also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 3,813 students enrolled at Western University of Health Sciences, 46 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 26 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $20,467. During this same period, 15 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at Western University of Health Sciences]](/colleges/western-university-of-health-sciences/student-life/veterans/)
Midwestern University - Glendale came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry ranking. Midwestern University - Glendale is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Glendale, Arizona. It awarded 50 ’s optometry degrees in 2020-2021.
Midwestern University - Glendale did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 3,927 students enrolled at Midwestern University - Glendale, 67 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 47 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $17,794. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
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 veteran student life at Midwestern University - Glendale]](/colleges/midwestern-university-glendale/student-life/veterans/)
Marshall B Ketchum University ranked #18 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Optometry list. Marshall B Ketchum University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Fullerton, California. It awarded 98 ’s optometry degrees in 2020-2021.
MBKU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Marshall B Ketchum University supports 738 students, and 11 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 6 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $22,108. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
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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).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- 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
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- **GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
- 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.
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