About
The Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) is a private optometry college in Chicago, Illinois. Graduating approximately 160 optometrists a year, it is the largest optometry college in the United States and the oldest continually operating educational facility dedicated solely to the teaching of optometrists. The college complex incorporates more than 366,000 square feet (34,000 m2) including an on-site eye care clinic, electronically enhanced lecture center, library, computerized clinical learning equipment, cafeteria, fitness center, and living facilities.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 2 Title IV programs, 1 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 1 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing1 · 50.0%
- No Data1 · 50.0%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Higher Learning Commission
Programmatic accreditations · 5
Action history · 8
- May 2024Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Optometric Association, Accreditation Council on Optometric Education · Optometry (OPTR) - Residency programs
- May 2024Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Optometric Association, Accreditation Council on Optometric Education · Optometry (OPTR) - Residency programs
- Oct 2021Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Optometric Association, Accreditation Council on Optometric Education · Optometry (OPTR) - Residency programs
- Jun 2019Renewal of AccreditationHigher Learning Commission
- Jun 2017Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Optometric Association, Accreditation Council on Optometric Education · Optometry (OPTR) - Residency programs
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, students received in Pell grants, alongside $24.2M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 118 borrowers who entered repayment, 0 (0.0%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at Illinois College of Optometry
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- Public property3
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
Illinois College of Optometry vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Illinois College of Optometry selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectIllinois College of Optometry | — | — | 474 | — | — |
| — | — | 483 | $31,509 | — | |
| 63% | 97.2% | 927 | $37,408 | — | |
| — | — | 591 | $18,593 | — | |
| 63% | 67.4% | 765 | $26,919 | — | |
| 100% | 69.2% | 588 | $35,764 | — | |
| — | — | 463 | — | — | |
| — | — | 618 | — | — | |
| — | — | 544 | — | — | |
| 20% | 38.9% | 267 | $41,787 | — | |
| — | — | 190 | — | — | |
| — | — | 319 | — | — | |
| 100% | 66.7% | 311 | $29,680 | — | |
| — | — | 511 | — | — | |
| — | — | 414 | — | — | |
| — | — | 515 | — | — | |
| — | — | 339 | — | — | |
| — | — | 172 | — | — | |
| — | 94.3% | 564 | — | — | |
| — | — | 329 | — | — | |
| — | — | 605 | — | — | |
| — | — | 312 | — | — | |
| — | — | 387 | — | — | |
| — | — | 516 | — | — | |
| — | — | 198 | — | — | |
| — | — | 530 | — | — | |
| — | — | 261 | — | — | |
| — | — | 523 | — | — | |
| — | — | 564 | — | — | |
| — | — | 518 | — | — | |
| 65% | 89.8% | 648 | $31,817 | — | |
| — | — | 457 | — | — | |
| Peer group median | 64% | 69.2% | 497 | $31,663 |
Institutions like Illinois College of Optometry
Explore the federal data for institutions in Illinois College of Optometry's comparison group.
- Iowa
Allen College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment483Net price$31,509View data - Wisconsin
Bellin College
Grad rate63%Admit rate97.2%Enrollment927Net price$37,408View data - Virginia
Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment591Net price$18,593View data - Nebraska
Bryan College of Health Sciences
Grad rate63%Admit rate67.4%Enrollment765Net price$26,919View data - Kansas
Cleveland University-Kansas City
Grad rate100%Admit rate69.2%Enrollment588Net price$35,764View data - Virginia
Divine Mercy University
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment463Net price—View data - California
Life Chiropractic College West
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment618Net price—View data - Maryland
Maryland University of Integrative Health
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment544Net price—View data - Illinois
Methodist College
Grad rate20%Admit rate38.9%Enrollment267Net price$41,787View data - Michigan
Michigan School of Psychology
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment190Net price—View data - Tennessee
Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia Inc
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment319Net price—View data - New York
Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing
Grad rate100%Admit rate66.7%Enrollment311Net price$29,680View data - Illinois
National University of Health Sciences
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment511Net price—View data - Oregon
National University of Natural Medicine
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment414Net price—View data - Massachusetts
New England College of Optometry
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment515Net price—View data - New York
New York College of Podiatric Medicine
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment339Net price—View data - New York
New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment172Net price—View data - New York
Northeast College of Health Sciences
Grad rate—Admit rate94.3%Enrollment564Net price—View data - Tennessee
Richmont Graduate University
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment329Net price—View data - Illinois
Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment605Net price—View data - Virginia
Sentara College of Health Sciences
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment312Net price—View data - South Carolina
Sherman College of Chiropractic
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment387Net price—View data - Arizona
Sonoran University of Health Sciences
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment516Net price—View data - California
South Baylo University
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment198Net price—View data - Tennessee
Southern College of Optometry
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment530Net price—View data - Texas
Texas Chiropractic College Foundation Inc
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment261Net price—View data - California
The Chicago School at Anaheim
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment523Net price—View data - District of Columbia
The Chicago School at Washington DC
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment564Net price—View data - California
The Wright Institute
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment518Net price—View data - Missouri
University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis
Grad rate65%Admit rate89.8%Enrollment648Net price$31,817View data - Virginia
Virginia University of Integrative Medicine
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment457Net price—View data
Reports & documents (2)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- Strategic planICO Strategic PlanThe Illinois College of Optometry's mission is to develop highly qualified clinical optometrists through excellence in optometric education. The college seeks to be recognized as an innovator in optometric education, patient care, and the profession at large. Key themes of ICO's strategic plan include inclusiveness, scholarship, community service, creativity, ethics, and leadership, with a focus on recruiting top students, empowering graduates, and employing effective financial strategies.ico.edu
Notable alumni of Illinois College of Optometry (8)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Ira L. Cooper
- Susan Cotter
- Joseph B. Ebbesen
- Jeff Hilovsky
- Donald L. Iverson
- Roxann Robinson
- Frank Smith Horne
- William TownsendPolitics
Frequently asked questions about Illinois College of Optometry
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Illinois College of Optometry.
How many students attend Illinois College of Optometry?
Where is Illinois College of Optometry located?
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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