Compare / Houston vs New England (NECO)
Houston vs New England (NECO)
University of Houston College of Optometry in Houston, TX, and New England College of Optometry in Boston, MA, side by side on the same measures. Schools are listed alphabetically, and neither is a pick from us.
Last checked Nov 2, 2026. Board results are NBEO 2024–25; class figures are the fall 2025 entering class.
| Measure | Houston | New England (NECO) |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Houston, TX | Boston, MA |
| Type | Public | Private |
| Seats | 100 | 140 |
| Applicants per seat | 6.3 | 6.1 |
| Class GPA | 3.61 | 3.56 |
| Class OAT | 337 AA / 332 TS | 331 AA / 327 TS |
| NBEO ultimate pass rate | 84.0% (94 tested) | 79.3% (116 tested) |
| Tuition per year | $28,567 resident, $48,204 nonresident (2025–26 first year, rounded up by the school from $28,566.83; the resident per-credit rate is $704.55 for both 2025–26 and 2026–27 (UH tuition page, checked Oct 25, 2026). 2026–27 fees not yet published) | $51,596 2026–27 |
| Living cost tier | Moderate: $25,000 a year | Very high: $36,000 a year |
| Est. 4-year cost, out-of-state | $292,816 | $350,384 |
| OptomCAS deadline | Feb 28, 2027 | Mar 31, 2027 |
| Interview | On campus | One-on-one with a faculty member, on campus or virtual |
| Seat deposit | Not published | $1,000 |
| Letters | 2: academic mentor + optometrist (recommended) | 2: non-relative optometrist + college faculty (science preferred) |
Four-year costs use out-of-state tuition for public schools, four years of flat tuition and a living allowance by tier, before scholarships. For the U.S. as a whole, the board pass rate is 82.5%.
Tuition figures are for the year each school last published; the years differ, so check the notes in the table before you compare them.
Where They Differ
- Board pass rate: Houston is higher at 84.0%, against 79.3% at New England (NECO).
- Class GPA: Houston is higher at 3.61, against 3.56 at New England (NECO).
- Class OAT Academic Average: Houston is higher at 337, against 331 at New England (NECO).
- Seats: New England (NECO) is higher at 140, against 100 at Houston.
- Applicants per seat: Houston is higher at 6.3, against 6.1 at New England (NECO).
- Four-year cost, out-of-state: New England (NECO) is higher at $350,384, against $292,816 at Houston.
- In-state tuition: Houston charges $28,567 a year to TX residents. New England (NECO) charges everyone the same rate.
- Public or private: Houston is public, and New England (NECO) is private.
Class averages aren't cutoffs and pass rates describe past graduates, not you. A higher number isn't a better school; it's a different one to weigh against what you want.
What Each School Page Notes
Houston
- 84% ultimate pass rate
- Strong research and residency programs
- OD/MS and OD/PhD options
Houston
- Part I first-time pass rate of 61%
New England (NECO)
- Clinical exposure from year 1
- Boston location
New England (NECO)
- Very high cost of living
Run Your Own Numbers
- Cost calculator for Houston and for New England (NECO), with your home state's tuition programs.
- Stats checker: where your GPA and OAT sit against both classes.
- Is optometry worth it? Test either school's cost against what optometrists earn.
- Houston profile · New England (NECO) profile
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