Pacific University College of Optometry

What Pacific University College of Optometry does

Pacific University College of Optometry is a professional college within Pacific University, a private institution founded in 1851 and headquartered in Forest Grove, Oregon. It operates a four-year Doctor of Optometry (OD) program that admits roughly 94 students per cohort from a pool of approximately 450 applications and 180 on-campus interviews annually, producing full-scope primary care optometric physicians with exposure to contact lenses, low vision, ocular disease, pediatrics, primary care, sports vision and vision therapy. The college supports its academic program with six owned clinic sites across Forest Grove, Cornelius, Hillsboro, Beaverton and Portland, plus the EyeVan mobile outreach unit, and a network of more than 100 affiliated preceptor sites for fourth-year externships across the US and select international locations. Concurrent Master of Science in Vision Science and MBA pathways, interprofessional coursework with Pharmacy, Psychology, PT, OT and PA programs, and a 90% first-time NBEO pass rate form the core educational outcomes.

The business model is tuition-driven and subscription-like: OD tuition was $48,600 annually as of 2020, with students paying an additional ~$8,100 for books, equipment and a laptop and ~$15,500 in average living costs, while more than 60% of graduate students receive federal loans and the college administers ~20 first-year scholarships plus Dean's Merit and Dean's Scholarship awards. Pricing is quote-based and residency-blind — international students pay the same rate because the parent university is private — and federal aid is generally unavailable to international applicants. The go-to-market motion is admissions-led via the OptomCAS centralized application service, supported by on-campus Interview Days and the institutional website as the primary recruitment surface. The college holds dual accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association, which underwrites its graduates' eligibility for licensure in all 50 US states.

Name

Pacific University College of Optometry

Legal name

Pacific University

Website

https://pacificuniversityoptometry.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1851

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Pacific University College of Optometry is a private four-year Doctor of Optometry program within Pacific University (Forest Grove, Oregon), enrolling ~94 students per cohort across six clinic sites and 100+ externship partners to train licensed primary care optometrists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Optometric Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Offices of Optometrists (62132)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Schools of Optometry (EDAHAGAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Comprehensive Eye Exams & Vision Care (HLAKAKAA), Optometry Clinics (Primary Eye Care) (HLAKAKAB), Ocular Imaging & Diagnostic Testing Centers (HLAKAKAN)

Keywords

• Optometry education
• Professional healthcare training
• Clinical optometry programs
• Graduate medical education
• Vision science research

Headquarters

HQ city

Hillsboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: Graduate professional education tuition is the primary revenue stream. Annual tuition was $48.6K for 2020. International students pay the same tuition rate as domestic students as Pacific University is a private institution.
2. Financial Aid Administration: Administration of federal student aid, loans, and scholarships. More than 60 percent of graduate students receive loans. The College awards approximately 20 scholarships to first-year students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Pacific University College of Optometry operates a four-year Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) professional degree program integrating academic coursework, laboratory experience, and clinical training beginning in the first year. The program is supported by six clinical training sites across the Portland metro area (Forest Grove, Cornelius, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Portland) and the EyeVan mobile outreach clinic, plus a network of more than 100 external preceptor sites for fourth-year rotations. Concurrent graduate degrees (M.S. in Vision Science and MBA) are available alongside the O.D.

Product overview

Pacific University College of Optometry operates a four-year Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) program as its core educational product, supplemented by six clinic sites for hands-on clinical training and a mobile EyeVan for community outreach. The institution also offers concurrent graduate degrees including a Master of Science in Vision Science and an MBA, along with interprofessional education opportunities with other health profession programs. The program prepares students for licensure as full-scope, primary care optometric physicians with specialization exposure in contact lenses, low vision, ocular disease, pediatrics, sports vision, and vision therapy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) Program A four-year professional degree program that prepares students to become full-scope, primary care optometric physicians with integrated academic, laboratory, and clinical experiences. Clinical work begins in year one and progresses in complexity. Covers specializations including contact lenses, low vision, ocular disease, pediatrics, primary care, sports vision, and vision therapy. Graduates are eligible for optometry licensure nationwide.
• Master of Science (M.S.) in Vision Science A concurrent graduate degree offering advanced study and research of the visual system, where students work with a faculty adviser to complete a thesis based on original research. Pursued alongside the O.D. degree.
• Master of Business Administration (MBA) A concurrent degree program that prepares optometry students to become business leaders through an innovative curriculum delivered in a cohort model, allowing integration with the O.D. program.
• Pacific University Eye Clinic Network Six clinic sites (Forest Grove, Cornelius, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Portland, and EyeVan mobile outreach) providing clinical education and patient care across diverse populations and optometric specialties. Each site provides cultural competency exposure and varied clinical volume for student training.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Externship Site Network (100+ preceptors)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe College affiliates with more than 100 preceptors throughout the US and at select locations in Canada, Europe and Asia for fourth-year externship rotations. Each rotation is approximately 11-12 weeks in length. Students complete four clinical rotations including required primary care and ocular disease placements, with two elective rotations. Site selection follows specific guidelines to maximize clinical experiences while allowing students to customize plans with sites meeting individual interests and career goals.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Southern College of Optometry: Private four-year OD college in Memphis, TN. Comparable private, independent optometry college with on-site clinical operations and similar applicant pool dynamics.
• Salus University (Pennsylvania College of Optometry): Private, independent health-sciences university offering an OD degree. Comparable private institution with a clinical teaching facility (The Eye Institute) and similar applicant dynamics.
• Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry: Private health-sciences university OD program. Comparable in interprofessional education model and curriculum integration across health disciplines.
• SUNY College of Optometry: Public four-year OD program in New York City. Direct competitor for applicants and operates the University Eye Center as its teaching clinic, analogous to Pacific's six-site network.
• New England College of Optometry: Private, independent four-year OD program in Boston. Comparable in mission, scale, and clinical training model to Pacific, and is one of the closest direct competitors for optometry applicants on the East Coast.
• Ohio State University College of Optometry: Public, research-intensive OD program. Comparable as a competitor for top applicants and a benchmark for NBEO outcomes and research output in optometric education.
• Illinois College of Optometry: Independent, private OD-granting institution in Chicago. Operates the Illinois Eye Institute and is comparable in size, private-school tuition economics, and full-scope clinical training footprint.
• University of Houston College of Optometry: Public OD program within a health-sciences center. Direct competitor for applicants and a comparable benchmark for clinical training scope and board exam outcomes.
• Midwestern University Arizona College of Optometry: Private OD program at a multi-college health sciences university. Comparable in interprofessional training model, dual-degree options, and clinic-based curriculum.
• Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry: Private OD program in Florida with on-site Eye Care Institute and interprofessional health-sciences campus. Comparable in private-school tuition economics and clinical training model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pacific University College of Optometry