Optician training in Georgia

4 optician and eye care programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

3 schools offer these eye care programs, and Georgia has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Opticians fit customers for eyeglasses and contact lenses and help them choose frames and lenses. Most need a high school diploma and learn on the job, while some start with an associate degree or certificate in ophthalmic dispensing. Some states require a license, which usually takes an approved program or an apprenticeship and passed exams, and employers may want certification in eyeglass and contact lens dispensing.¹

In Georgia, all 4 programs ask for a high school diploma or equivalent.

By kind, the 4 programs here are optician certificate or diploma (2 programs), eye care assistant or technician course (1 program) and optician (associate degree, 1 program).

See the 4 programs

How much does optician training cost in Georgia?

$2,712 to $7,101

is what the 4 programs with a price cost if you pay yourself

In the typical program

Finished the program: Not reported; None of the 4 programs report it
Working 6 months later: Not enough data; 1 program reports it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated: Not enough data; 1 program reports it; a typical figure needs 5
Length: Not enough data; 4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Georgia may also offer optician training. How these figures are made

Is there free optician training in Georgia?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.²³⁴
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁵ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁴
Or pay yourself. These programs cost $2,712 to $7,101.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 4 optician and eye care programs in Georgia approved for WIOA funding

4 programs

Optician certificate or diplomaIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Opticianry --Op14--
Georgia Piedmont Technical College
Clarkston
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Georgia Piedmont Technical College, ClarkstonOptician certificate or diploma · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$25,600
Price if you pay yourself$6,486
More details about Opticianry --Op14-- at Georgia Piedmont Technical College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
60%
Earned in a quarter
$6,388
Length
12 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$3,909
Students counted
40
Earned a year, estimated
$25,600
Price if you pay yourself
$6,486
Eye care assistant or technician courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Opticians Assistant--Op14
Ogeechee Technical College
Statesboro
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Ogeechee Technical College, StatesboroEye care assistant or technician course · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$2,712
More details about Opticians Assistant--Op14 at Ogeechee Technical College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
20 weeks, 24 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$810
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$2,712
Optician certificate or diplomaIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
OPTICIANRY- Diploma--OP14
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
Valdosta
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, ValdostaOptician certificate or diploma · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$5,917
School website, OPTICIANRY- Diploma--OP14 at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
More details about OPTICIANRY- Diploma--OP14 at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
74 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$416
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$5,917
School website, OPTICIANRY- Diploma--OP14 at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
Optician (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Opticianry--Op13
Ogeechee Technical College
Statesboro
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Ogeechee Technical College, StatesboroOptician (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$7,101
More details about Opticianry--Op13 at Ogeechee Technical College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
40 weeks, 24 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$1,750
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$7,101

How to pay for optician training in Georgia

WIOA funding can pay for optician training in Georgia

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for optician training

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁶⁷

GI Bill for optician training

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁸

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Optician training in Statesboro, Atlanta, Valdosta and other Georgia cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in Georgia

How optician training compares with the rest of allied health: Allied health programs in Georgia

Where the Georgia eye care program numbers come from

Which Georgia eye care programs are on this list?

These are the eye care programs Georgia approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁹ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Georgia offers.

How the prices and results of Georgia eye care programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about optician training in Georgia

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources

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