Compare / Pennsylvania (Drexel) vs SUNY

Pennsylvania (Drexel) vs SUNY

Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Drexel University in Elkins Park, PA, and SUNY College of Optometry in New York, NY, 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	Pennsylvania (Drexel)	SUNY
Location	Elkins Park, PA	New York, NY
Type	Private	Public
Seats	126	96
Applicants per seat	6.5	4.7
Class GPA	3.38	3.67
Class OAT	306 AA / 295 TS	350 AA / 350 TS
NBEO ultimate pass rate	81.5% (130 tested)	89.9% (99 tested)
Tuition per year	$51,560 2026–27; not yet confirmed on the school’s site	$32,200 resident, $53,230 nonresident (2026–27)
Living cost tier	Moderate: $25,000 a year	Very high: $36,000 a year
Est. 4-year cost, out-of-state	$306,240	$356,920
OptomCAS deadline	May 1, 2027	Mar 1, 2027
Interview	Faculty interview plus an admissions staff meeting, on campus	Panel of two faculty members, on campus or virtual
Seat deposit	$500	Not published
Letters	3, or one committee letter	3: optometrist + science professor; committee letter recommended

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%.

Where They Differ

Board pass rate: SUNY is higher at 89.9%, against 81.5% at Pennsylvania (Drexel).
Class GPA: SUNY is higher at 3.67, against 3.38 at Pennsylvania (Drexel).
Class OAT Academic Average: SUNY is higher at 350, against 306 at Pennsylvania (Drexel).
Seats: Pennsylvania (Drexel) is higher at 126, against 96 at SUNY.
Applicants per seat: Pennsylvania (Drexel) is higher at 6.5, against 4.7 at SUNY.
Four-year cost, out-of-state: SUNY is higher at $356,920, against $306,240 at Pennsylvania (Drexel).
In-state tuition: SUNY charges $32,200 a year to NY residents. Pennsylvania (Drexel) charges everyone the same rate.
Public or private: Pennsylvania (Drexel) is private, and SUNY is public.

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