Compare / Southern (SCO) vs UAB
Southern (SCO) vs UAB
Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, TN, and UAB School of Optometry in Birmingham, AL, 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 | Southern (SCO) | UAB |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Memphis, TN | Birmingham, AL |
| Type | Private | Public |
| Seats | 140 | 55 |
| Applicants per seat | 5.2 | 8.4 |
| Class GPA | 3.68 | 3.71 |
| Class OAT | 332 AA / 323 TS | 329 AA / 319 TS |
| NBEO ultimate pass rate | 95.3% (128 tested) | 89.1% (55 tested) |
| Tuition per year | $48,540 2026–27, same for all four years | $33,930 resident, $43,335 nonresident (2026–27) |
| Living cost tier | Low: $21,000 a year | Low: $21,000 a year |
| Est. 4-year cost, out-of-state | $278,160 | $257,340 |
| OptomCAS deadline | Mar 1, 2027 | Apr 1, 2027 |
| Interview | One-on-one with a faculty member (blind), on campus | On campus or virtual |
| Seat deposit | Not published | $700 |
| Letters | 2: non-relative optometrist + committee/pre-health or science instructor | 3: optometrist + science faculty/pre-health; committee 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%.
Where They Differ
- Board pass rate: Southern (SCO) is higher at 95.3%, against 89.1% at UAB.
- Class GPA: UAB is higher at 3.71, against 3.68 at Southern (SCO).
- Class OAT Academic Average: Southern (SCO) is higher at 332, against 329 at UAB.
- Seats: Southern (SCO) is higher at 140, against 55 at UAB.
- Applicants per seat: UAB is higher at 8.4, against 5.2 at Southern (SCO).
- Four-year cost, out-of-state: Southern (SCO) is higher at $278,160, against $257,340 at UAB.
- In-state tuition: UAB charges $33,930 a year to AL residents. Southern (SCO) charges everyone the same rate.
- Public or private: Southern (SCO) is private, and UAB 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
Southern (SCO)
- 95% ultimate pass rate
- Low cost of living
- Largest class (140 seats)
Southern (SCO)
- Requires passing NBEO Parts I and II to graduate, so rates aren't directly comparable
UAB
- 89% ultimate pass rate
- Merit award sharply cuts nonresident tuition
- Academic medical center setting
UAB
- Small class (55 seats) with 8.4 applicants per seat
Run Your Own Numbers
- Cost calculator for Southern (SCO) and for UAB, 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.
- Southern (SCO) profile · UAB profile