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Optical assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an optical assistant. Optical assistants usually study business, health care administration, or medical assisting services. 32% of optical assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,620 real optical assistant resumes to see exactly what optical assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for optical assistants are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online optical assistant courses to help get the education required to be an optical assistant.
There are certain optical assistant certifications that you should consider. These optical assistant certifications include Medical Assistant and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).
What education do you need to become an optical assistant?
What degree do you need to be an optical assistant?
- Bachelor's, 32%
- Associate, 26%
- High School Diploma, 23%
- Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 10%
What should I major in to become an optical assistant?
- Business, 20%
- General Studies, 8%
- Other Majors, 55%
Most common colleges for optical assistants
| Optical assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 10.29% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 7.35% |
| Monroe College | 7.35% |
| San Jose State University | 5.88% |
| University of California - Davis | 5.88% |
Best majors for optical assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 20.0% |
| 2 | Health Care Administration | 9.0% |
| 3 | Medical Assisting Services | 7.7% |
| 4 | General Studies | 7.5% |
| 5 | Biology | 7.5% |
Best colleges for optical assistants
The best colleges for optical assistants are Northwestern University, Emory University, and New York University.
An optical assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for optical assistants. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become optical assistants.
1. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,306
Enrollment
6,975
2. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
5. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
6. Maria College of Albany
Albany, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$15,140
Enrollment
876
7. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce
Mercedita, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,914
Enrollment
4,155
8. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$54,104
Enrollment
7,089
9. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
10. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
20 best online courses for optical assistants
Advertising disclosure
1. Optical Engineering
The courses in this specialization can also be taken for academic credit as ECEA 5600-5602, part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree. Enroll here.\n\nOptical instruments are how we see the world, from corrective eyewear to medical endoscopes to cell phone cameras to orbiting telescopes. This course will teach you how to design such optical systems with simple graphical techniques, then transform those pencil and paper designs to include real optical components...
2. Design of High-Performance Optical Systems
This course can also be taken for academic credit as ECEA 5602, part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree. Optical instruments are how we see the world, from corrective eyewear to medical endoscopes to cell phone cameras to orbiting telescopes. This course extends what you have learned about first-order, paraxial system design and optical resolution and efficiency with the introduction to real lenses and their imperfections. We begin with a description of how...
3. Introduction To Fiber Optic Cabling
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4. Speak Medical Spanish to Your Patients and Clients
Spanish essentials for healthcare; program teaches correct pronunciation, pain management and medication, among others...
5. Active Optical Devices
The courses in this specialization can also be taken for academic credit as ECEA 5605-5607, part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree. Enroll here.\n\nThis Active Optical Devices specialization is designed to help you gain complete understanding of active optical devices by clearly defining and interconnecting the fundamental physical mechanisms, device design principles, and device performance. You will study and gain active experience with light emitting...
6. Waves and Optics
This specialization is for learners who have completed a first-year university-level physics course and wants to continue their study. Through three courses, you will gain a foundation in waves and optics ranging from simple oscillators and waves in strings, to advanced diffraction effects of electromagnetic waves. With an entire semester of lectures and over 100 problems, this comprehensive specialization is similar in detail and rigor to what is taught in on-campus courses. It will thoroughly...
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9. Python Optical Character Recognition using Pytorch
Note: The rhyme platform currently does not support webcams, so this is not a live project. This guided project is about optical character recognition using Pythorch, a Python library. This comes under the computer vision domain. While you are watching me code, you will get a cloud desktop with all the required software pre-installed. This will allow you to code along with me. After all, we learn best with active, hands-on learning. Note: This project works best for learners who are based in...
10. Prehospital care of acute stroke and patient selection for endovascular treatment using the RACE scale
Acute stroke is a time-dependent medical emergency. In acute ischemic stroke, the first objective is to restore brain flow using sistemic thrombolytic treatment and, in patients with large vessel occlusion, by endovascular treatment. In hemorrhagic stroke there are also specific treatments that can improve the clinical outcome. The sooner the initiation of all these therapies the higher the clinical benefit. Thus, the organization of Stroke Code systems coordinated between emergency medical...
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14. Patient Safety
Preventable patient harms, including medical errors and healthcare-associated complications, are a global public health threat. Moreover, patients frequently do not receive treatments and interventions known to improve their outcomes. These shortcomings typically result not from individual clinicians’ mistakes, but from systemic problems -- communication breakdowns, poor teamwork, and poorly designed care processes, to name a few.\n\nThe Patient Safety & Quality Leadership Specialization covers...
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WORKING WITH PATIENTS WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS OR HIGH RISK This optional online course opportunity is made possible through a joint partnership with University of Virginia School of Medicine (UVASOM) and Nursing (SON) and the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP), DATA 2000 sponsor. This content was created by the AAAP and has been used with permission. The course consists of one 1-hour session for healthcare providers who wish to enhance their effectiveness in treating high-risk...
18. Understanding HIPAA Compliance
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19. Fundamentals of Insurance - 2
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Top 10 most affordable universities for optical assistants
The most affordable schools for optical assistants are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - dominguez hills.
If the best universities for optical assistants are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for optical assistants.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
4. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Cost of attendance
21,567
7. Louisiana State University at Alexandria
Alexandria, LA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,668
Cost of attendance
14,488
8. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
9. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce
Mercedita, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,914
Cost of attendance
13,564
10. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for optical assistants
The hardest universities for optical assistants to get into are Northwestern University, Emory University, and New York University.
Some great schools for optical assistants are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for optical assistants based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,449
3. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
4. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
6. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,456
7. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
8. Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,443
9. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for optical assistants
The easiest schools for optical assistants to get into are AdventHealth University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and d'youville college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an optical assistant without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for optical assistants.
1. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
4. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
5. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
8. Pennsylvania State University - Shenango
Sharon, PA • Private
Admissions rate
75%
SAT average
989
9. Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus)
Lemont Furnace, PA • Private
Admissions rate
80%
SAT average
1,067
10. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
Average optical assistant salary by education level
| Optical assistant education level | Optical assistant salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,668 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $47,903 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $44,665 |
Optical assistant education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025