UMSL College of Optometry

What UMSL College of Optometry does

The UMSL College of Optometry is a constituent college of the University of Missouri-St. Louis, a public state university governed by The Curators of the University of Missouri. It is one of only 23 institutions in the United States holding accreditation from the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE), and the only optometry school in the state of Missouri. Its core academic offering is a four-year professional program leading to the Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree, with an average class size of 48 students and an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The college supplements classroom instruction with a clinical training network of more than 70 externship sites and three UMSL Eye Care clinic locations that serve both patients and students.

The business model is a tuition-based academic revenue model combined with patient service revenue from the three UMSL Eye Care clinic locations. Additional revenue streams include postgraduate Residency Programs (for example, low-vision care specialization) and Continuing Education courses for licensed optometrists. Customer segments split between prospective optometry students seeking a professional O.D. credential and consumer/patient walk-ins seeking eye care services. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and follows standard public university tuition and clinical fee structures. Marketing and student recruitment are conducted through social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn), the EyeWire optometry blog, alumni events, and university-wide channels.

The college is currently investing in physical capacity expansion via a relocation to North Campus with new classrooms and lab spaces, and is actively recruiting additional faculty. Notable alumni outcomes include a graduate named NASA's first aerospace optometry fellow, indicating the program's clinical training reputation extends into specialized federal and research domains. As a public, state-governed institution, the college has no private shareholders, venture backing, or external fundraising rounds; growth and investment are funded through state appropriations, tuition, and philanthropic giving channels.

Name

UMSL College of Optometry

Legal name

University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry

Website

https://optometry.umsl.edu

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UMSL College of Optometry is the only ACOE-accredited optometry school in Missouri and one of 23 in the U.S., offering a four-year O.D. degree program, postgraduate residencies, continuing education, and patient care through three UMSL Eye Care clinics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Optometric Education and Clinical Eye Care

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Offices of Optometrists (621320)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Schools of Optometry (EDAHAGAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Optometry Clinics (Primary Eye Care) (HLAKAKAB), Comprehensive Eye Exams & Vision Care (HLAKAKAA), Healthcare & Medical Licensure Exam Prep (USMLE/COMLEX, NCLEX, Dentistry, Pharmacy, PA) (EDANAIAA)

Keywords

• Optometric education
• Doctor of optometry
• Clinical optometry training
• Eye care services
• Optometry residency programs

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The UMSL College of Optometry offers a four-year professional Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree program accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE), making it the only optometry school in Missouri and one of only 23 in the United States. The educational portfolio is supported by three UMSL Eye Care clinic locations that deliver patient eye care services while providing hands-on clinical training for students, along with postgraduate Residency Programs and Continuing Education courses for alumni and practicing optometrists.

Product overview

UMSL College of Optometry offers a single integrated educational portfolio centered on its four-year Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree program, which is the only accredited optometry program in Missouri. The program is supported by UMSL Eye Care, a patient care service operating at three locations that provides clinical training for students. Additional offerings include Continuing Education courses for alumni and practicing professionals, and Residency Programs for postgraduate specialization. The portfolio functions as a unified educational and clinical ecosystem where the O.D. program serves as the core offering, with Eye Care providing hands-on training and CE/residency programs enabling advanced professional development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EyeWire: Optometry Blog maintained by the College of Optometry

Products and services

• Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) Degree Program A four-year professional program leading to the Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree, accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE). It prepares students to become licensed optometrists and vision researchers, supported by classroom instruction and 70+ externship sites.
• UMSL Eye Care
• Continuing Education (CE) Courses
• Residency Programs

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE)coreOthersThe College of Optometry is accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE). The accreditation covers the four-year professional program leading to the Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree. ACOE is located at 243 N. Lindbergh Blvd., Suite 301, St. Louis, MO 63141.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• New England College of Optometry: An ACOE-accredited four-year optometry program offering the O.D. degree with affiliated clinical training; comparable as a standalone optometry institution with an integrated care model.
• SUNY College of Optometry: A public ACOE-accredited optometry college within the State University of New York system offering the O.D. degree and an on-site eye center; directly comparable as a public, dedicated optometry institution.
• UC Berkeley School of Optometry: A public ACOE-accredited optometry program at a major research university offering the O.D. degree and clinical services; comparable as a public university-based optometry school.
• Illinois College of Optometry: An ACOE-accredited four-year optometry program conferring the O.D. degree, with an affiliated clinical care operation — directly comparable to UMSL in mission, structure, and product offering.
• Salus University Pennsylvania College of Optometry: An ACOE-accredited optometry program offering the O.D. degree plus residency and CE pathways; comparable in offering breadth and accreditation profile to UMSL.
• Southern College of Optometry: An ACOE-accredited four-year optometry program focused on the O.D. degree with its own clinical facilities; comparable as a single-purpose optometry institution with embedded patient care.
• Indiana University School of Optometry: A public ACOE-accredited optometry school within a major Big Ten university system offering the O.D. degree; directly comparable as a similarly structured public optometry program with a Midwest footprint.
• Ohio State University College of Optometry: A leading public optometry school within a Big Ten university offering the four-year O.D. program and clinical services; closely comparable in scale, accreditation status, and integrated clinical model.
• Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry: An ACOE-accredited optometry program within a private university offering the O.D. degree and clinical services; comparable as a dedicated optometry college with a multi-site clinical footprint.
• University of Houston College of Optometry: A public ACOE-accredited optometry school conferring the O.D. degree with integrated clinical operations; comparable in structure and mission as a state-affiliated optometry college.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UMSLOptometry
• Facebookfacebook.com/UMSLOptometry
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/umsl-college-of-optometry
• Instagraminstagram.com/umsleye

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 UMSL College of Optometry