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Optician training in North Carolina

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

5 schools offer these eye care programs, and North Carolina has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did. One school runs 3 of these 7 programs, so the typical figures lean heavily on its prices and results.

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 North Carolina, 6 of the 7 programs ask for a high school diploma or equivalent and 1 asks for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 7 programs here are eye care assistant or technician course (5 programs), optician certificate or diploma (1 program) and optician certification exam prep (1 program).

See the 7 programs

How much does optician training cost in North Carolina?

$336 to $2,656 is what most optician and eye care programs in North Carolina cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 7 programs with a price. All of them: $186 to $5,710

In the typical program

Finished the program
Not enough data
2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later
Not enough data
2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
1 program reports it; a typical figure needs 5
Length
16 to 41 weeks

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

Is there free optician training in North Carolina?

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

All 7 optician and eye care programs in North Carolina approved for WIOA funding

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Kind of program
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7 programs

  • Eye care assistant or technician courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Ophthalmic Medical Personnel - D45210

    Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute

    Hudson

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, HudsonEye care assistant or technician course · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$35,700
    Price if you pay yourself$3,318
    Program website, Ophthalmic Medical Personnel - D45210 at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
    More details about Ophthalmic Medical Personnel - D45210 at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
    Finished
    40%
    Working at 6 months
    67%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,919
    Length
    45 weeks, 8 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $1,469
    Students counted
    26
    Earned a year, estimated
    $35,700
    Price if you pay yourself
    $3,318
    Program website, Ophthalmic Medical Personnel - D45210 at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute

  • Optician certificate or diplomaIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Opticianry

    Southwestern Community College

    Sylva

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Southwestern Community College, SylvaOptician certificate or diploma · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$5,710
    Program website, Opticianry at Southwestern Community College
    More details about Opticianry at Southwestern Community College
    Finished
    43%
    Working at 6 months
    100%
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    72 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $1,387
    Students counted
    10
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $5,710
    Program website, Opticianry at Southwestern Community College

  • Eye care assistant or technician courseHybridPrerequisite courses

    Ophthalmic Assistant II -WFD/CE

    Coastal Carolina Community College

    Jacksonville

    Accredited school

    Prerequisite courses

    Coastal Carolina Community College, JacksonvilleEye care assistant or technician course · Accredited schoolHybrid · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$186
    Program website, Ophthalmic Assistant II -WFD/CE at Coastal Carolina Community College
    More details about Ophthalmic Assistant II -WFD/CE at Coastal Carolina Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    16 weeks, 19 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $500
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $186
    Program website, Ophthalmic Assistant II -WFD/CE at Coastal Carolina Community College

  • Eye care assistant or technician courseHybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Ophthalmic Assistant I -WFD/CE

    Coastal Carolina Community College

    Jacksonville

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Coastal Carolina Community College, JacksonvilleEye care assistant or technician course · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$219
    Program website, Ophthalmic Assistant I -WFD/CE at Coastal Carolina Community College
    More details about Ophthalmic Assistant I -WFD/CE at Coastal Carolina Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    16 weeks, 23 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $400
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $219
    Program website, Ophthalmic Assistant I -WFD/CE at Coastal Carolina Community College

  • Eye care assistant or technician courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Ophthalmic Assisting Certificate

    Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College

    Asheville

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College, AshevilleEye care assistant or technician course · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$453
    Program website, Ophthalmic Assisting Certificate at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College
    More details about Ophthalmic Assisting Certificate at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    8 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $315
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $453
    Program website, Ophthalmic Assisting Certificate at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College

  • Eye care assistant or technician courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Ophthalmic Assistant Exam Prep WFD/CE

    Coastal Carolina Community College

    Jacksonville

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Coastal Carolina Community College, JacksonvilleEye care assistant or technician course · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,052
    Program website, Ophthalmic Assistant Exam Prep WFD/CE at Coastal Carolina Community College
    More details about Ophthalmic Assistant Exam Prep WFD/CE at Coastal Carolina Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    37 weeks, 7 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,052
    Program website, Ophthalmic Assistant Exam Prep WFD/CE at Coastal Carolina Community College

  • Optician certification exam prepOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Optician Certification Training

    Fayetteville Technical Community College

    Based in Fayetteville, NC

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Fayetteville Technical Community College, based in Fayetteville, NCOptician certification exam prep · Accredited schoolOnline · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,995
    School website, Optician Certification Training at Fayetteville Technical Community College
    More details about Optician Certification Training at Fayetteville Technical Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    24 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,995
    School website, Optician Certification Training at Fayetteville Technical Community College

How to pay for optician training in North Carolina

WIOA funding can pay for optician training in North Carolina

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.

Quick facts: Optician training in North Carolina

programs with a price cost under $1,000
3 of 7
optician and eye care programs of any state: no state has more than North Carolina
Most

State comparisons use the same figures as the optician training by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Optician training in Jacksonville, Hickory, Asheville and other North Carolina cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above. 1 in smaller cities and towns and 1 online.

Other training in North Carolina

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

Where the North Carolina eye care program numbers come from

Which North Carolina eye care programs are on this list?

These are the eye care programs North Carolina 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 North Carolina offers.

How the prices and results of North Carolina 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 North Carolina

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Opticians
  2. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  3. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  4. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  5. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  6. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  8. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  9. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List