Name: 2026 US Optometry School Rankings
Creator: AdmitBase

Question 1

How are these optometry school rankings calculated?

Accepted Answer

Rankings reflect each optometry school's relative position based on OAT medians, GPA medians, acceptance rates, and reported employment or matriculation outcomes from ASCO institutional data. AdmitBase prioritises transparent, primary-source institutional data and does not use opinion surveys or peer-assessment scores.

Question 2

How many ASCO-accredited optometry schools are ranked?

Accepted Answer

AdmitBase ranks 27 ASCO-accredited optometry schools in the 2026 cycle, covering every program with sufficient public admissions disclosure. Schools that do not publish OAT or GPA data are listed separately and not assigned a numerical rank.

Question 3

What is a competitive OAT score for a top-ranked optometry school?

Accepted Answer

A competitive score at a top-25 optometry school typically sits at or above each school's 75th-percentile median in the ASCO data. Use the table below to compare your OAT and GPA against each school's 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile — applicants at or above the median are considered targets; at or above the 75th percentile are statistical safeties.

Question 4

How often are these rankings updated?

Accepted Answer

AdmitBase refreshes optometry school rankings annually after each cycle's ASCO disclosure is released. The current rankings reflect 2026 cycle data. We also re-rank quarterly when meaningful interim changes are reported by an institution.

Question 5

Should I choose a optometry school purely based on ranking?

Accepted Answer

No. Rankings are one input among several. Geography, programme fit, cost of attendance, bar passage or board pass rates, employment outcomes by sector, and scholarship offers can materially change which school is the right choice for a given applicant. AdmitBase publishes the underlying data so applicants can weight each factor themselves.

#	School	OAT	GPA	Accept %	Tuition
1	UC Berkeley School of Optometry Berkeley, CA	340	3.55	18%	$37,040
2	University of Houston College of Optometry Houston, TX	330	3.50	20%	$26,075
3	The Ohio State University College of Optometry Columbus, OH	330	3.52	22%	$28,864
4	Indiana University School of Optometry Bloomington, IN	320	3.48	25%	$33,678
5	UAB School of Optometry Birmingham, AL	320	3.50	24%	$30,736
6	SUNY College of Optometry New York, NY	325	3.45	22%	$30,710
7	Illinois College of Optometry Chicago, IL	310	3.40	30%	$49,905
8	Southern California College of Optometry Fullerton, CA	315	3.42	28%	$51,200
9	New England College of Optometry Boston, MA	310	3.38	32%	$48,168
10	Pacific University College of Optometry Hillsboro, OR	315	3.42	30%	$50,028
11	Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University Elkins Park, PA	310	3.38	30%	$39,500
12	UIW Rosenberg School of Optometry San Antonio, TX	305	3.35	35%	$38,600
13	Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State Big Rapids, MI	320	3.48	28%	$19,900
14	Southern College of Optometry Memphis, TN	305	3.35	35%	$43,406
15	Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry Fort Lauderdale, FL	310	3.38	32%	$41,950
16	Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry Pomona, CA	310	3.40	30%	$46,860
17	Midwestern University Arizona College of Optometry Glendale, AZ	310	3.40	33%	$46,700
18	Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry Tahlequah, OK	305	3.38	35%	$18,500
19	Inter American University School of Optometry San Juan, PR	300	3.30	40%	$21,600
20	University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Optometry Pikeville, KY	300	3.32	38%	$42,000
21	Midwestern University Chicago College of Optometry Downers Grove, IL	308	3.38	33%	$46,700
22	MCPHS University School of Optometry Worcester, MA	305	3.35	35%	$48,500
23	University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry St. Louis, MO	315	3.42	30%	$29,120
—	Chicago College of Optometry Glendale, AZ	—	—	—	$48,423
—	MCPHS School of Optometry Worcester, MA	—	—	—	$51,270
—	Pennsylvania College of Optometry Elkins Park, PA	—	—	—	$48,600
—	Rocky Mountain University College of Optometry Provo, UT	—	—	—	$32,835

Optometry School Rankings 2026

Complete Optometry School Rankings

Frequently Asked Questions

How are these optometry school rankings calculated?

How many ASCO-accredited optometry schools are ranked?

What is a competitive OAT score for a top-ranked optometry school?

How often are these rankings updated?

Should I choose a optometry school purely based on ranking?

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