Dental Support Services and Allied Professions: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 243 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff
+$81,162 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.
This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.
5.9 yrsModeled economic break-even
+71%Modeled 10-year ROI
$64,564Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$64,564Median reported earnings · year 4
$54,366Average reported earnings · year 5
$19,309Median federal debt
80thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
243Reporting programs
243With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $34,006
- Federal debt
- $9,500
- Reporting programs
- 375
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $64,564
- Federal debt
- $19,309
- Reporting programs
- 243
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,205
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Reporting programs
- 80
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,496
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$56,176National median$64,56475th percentile$72,213
243 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Chabot College$107,5832Shoreline College$106,2883Fortis Institute-Wayne$93,1274Fortis College-Landover$93,1275Northern Virginia Community College$91,1376Community College of Denver$90,1937Concorde Career College-Garden Grove$87,5508Cerritos College$87,2829Pima Medical Institute-Tucson$87,09210Pima Medical Institute-Seattle$87,092Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1071 · 3 crosswalk linksDental AssistantsSOC 31-9091 · 1 crosswalk linksDental HygienistsSOC 29-1292 · 1 crosswalk linksDental Laboratory TechniciansSOC 51-9081 · 1 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chabot CollegeAssociate's Degree | Hayward, CA | $107,583 | Not available | +479% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Shoreline CollegeAssociate's Degree | Shoreline, WA | $106,288 | $27,250 | +472% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | Fortis Institute-WayneAssociate's Degree | Wayne, NJ | $93,127 | $32,500 | +249% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | Fortis College-LandoverAssociate's Degree | Landover, MD | $93,127 | $32,500 | +236% | Strong payoff |
| 5 | Northern Virginia Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Annandale, VA | $91,137 | $20,894 | +320% | Strong payoff |
| 6 | Community College of DenverAssociate's Degree | Denver, CO | $90,193 | $29,472 | +315% | Strong payoff |
| 7 | Concorde Career College-Garden GroveAssociate's Degree | Garden Grove, CA | $87,550 | $29,176 | +205% | Strong payoff |
| 8 | Cerritos CollegeAssociate's Degree | Norwalk, CA | $87,282 | Not available | +346% | Strong payoff |
| 9 | Pima Medical Institute-TucsonAssociate's Degree | Tucson, AZ | $87,092 | $32,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 10 | Pima Medical Institute-SeattleAssociate's Degree | Seattle, WA | $87,092 | $32,500 | +177% | Strong payoff |
| 11 | Pima Medical Institute-HoustonAssociate's Degree | Houston, TX | $87,092 | $32,500 | +217% | Strong payoff |
| 12 | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X CollegeAssociate's Degree | Chicago, IL | $86,686 | Not available | +299% | Strong payoff |
| 13 | Eastern International College-Jersey CityAssociate's Degree | Jersey City, NJ | $84,902 | $30,750 | +202% | Strong payoff |
| 14 | Concorde Career College-San DiegoAssociate's Degree | San Diego, CA | $84,844 | $26,125 | +183% | Strong payoff |
| 15 | Carrington College-SacramentoAssociate's Degree | Sacramento, CA | $83,986 | $32,350 | +126% | Strong payoff |
| 16 | Carrington College-San JoseAssociate's Degree | San Jose, CA | $83,986 | $32,350 | +139% | Strong payoff |
| 17 | Regis CollegeAssociate's Degree | Weston, MA | $83,003 | $22,935 | +162% | Strong payoff |
| 18 | New York UniversityAssociate's Degree | New York, NY | $82,978 | $21,241 | +131% | Strong payoff |
| 19 | Camden County CollegeAssociate's Degree | Blackwood, NJ | $82,821 | $15,922 | +271% | Strong payoff |
| 20 | Tulsa Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tulsa, OK | $82,742 | $18,500 | +268% | Strong payoff |
| 21 | Concorde Career College-San BernardinoAssociate's Degree | San Bernardino, CA | $82,441 | $26,125 | +164% | Strong payoff |
| 22 | Community College of Baltimore CountyAssociate's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $82,293 | Not available | +240% | Strong payoff |
| 23 | San Joaquin Valley College-VisaliaAssociate's Degree | Visalia, CA | $81,511 | $20,000 | +151% | Strong payoff |
| 24 | San Joaquin Valley College-OntarioAssociate's Degree | Ontario, CA | $81,511 | $20,000 | +153% | Strong payoff |
| 25 | Mt Hood Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Gresham, OR | $81,207 | Not available | +243% | Strong payoff |
| 26 | Middlesex CollegeAssociate's Degree | Edison, NJ | $81,043 | $11,250 | +281% | Strong payoff |
| 27 | Farmingdale State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Farmingdale, NY | $80,938 | $20,718 | +222% | Strong payoff |
| 28 | Baltimore City Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $80,719 | Not available | +193% | Strong payoff |
| 29 | Quinsigamond Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Worcester, MA | $80,448 | $24,000 | +228% | Strong payoff |
| 30 | Rose State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Midwest City, OK | $80,174 | $22,500 | +208% | Strong payoff |
| 31 | University of Alaska AnchorageAssociate's Degree | Anchorage, AK | $79,942 | Not available | +190% | Strong payoff |
| 32 | CUNY Hostos Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bronx, NY | $79,357 | $14,400 | +242% | Strong payoff |
| 33 | Houston City CollegeAssociate's Degree | Houston, TX | $78,980 | Not available | +235% | Strong payoff |
| 34 | Concorde Career College-AuroraAssociate's Degree | Aurora, CO | $78,753 | $25,250 | +174% | Strong payoff |
| 35 | Concorde Career College-DallasAssociate's Degree | Dallas, TX | $78,753 | $25,250 | +140% | Strong payoff |
| 36 | Truckee Meadows Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Reno, NV | $78,393 | Not available | +213% | Strong payoff |
| 37 | Mohave Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Kingman, AZ | $77,314 | Not available | +217% | Strong payoff |
| 38 | College of Southern NevadaAssociate's Degree | Las Vegas, NV | $76,943 | Not available | +209% | Strong payoff |
| 39 | Rock Valley CollegeAssociate's Degree | Rockford, IL | $76,660 | Not available | +215% | Strong payoff |
| 40 | NHTI-Concord's Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Concord, NH | $76,278 | $22,550 | +148% | Strong payoff |
| 41 | University of BridgeportAssociate's Degree | Bridgeport, CT | $76,208 | $24,478 | +114% | Strong payoff |
| 42 | Cape Cod Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | West Barnstable, MA | $75,929 | $26,376 | +190% | Strong payoff |
| 43 | Hagerstown Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Hagerstown, MD | $75,920 | $16,000 | +198% | Strong payoff |
| 44 | Howard Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Columbia, MD | $75,822 | Not available | +175% | Strong payoff |
| 45 | Milwaukee Area Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Milwaukee, WI | $75,653 | $25,034 | +183% | Strong payoff |
| 46 | Fortis College-CentervilleAssociate's Degree | Centerville, OH | $75,650 | $44,682 | +107% | Strong payoff |
| 47 | Rutgers University-New BrunswickAssociate's Degree | New Brunswick, NJ | $75,372 | Not available | +119% | Strong payoff |
| 48 | Middlesex Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bedford, MA | $75,312 | $16,100 | +218% | Strong payoff |
| 49 | Colorado Northwestern Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Rangely, CO | $75,267 | $16,784 | +165% | Strong payoff |
| 50 | Valencia CollegeAssociate's Degree | Orlando, FL | $75,095 | Not available | +164% | Strong payoff |
| 51 | Lane Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Eugene, OR | $74,428 | Not available | +172% | Strong payoff |
| 52 | Pima Medical Institute-AlbuquerqueAssociate's Degree | Albuquerque, NM | $74,130 | $35,147 | +120% | Strong payoff |
| 53 | Great Falls College Montana State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Great Falls, MT | $74,001 | Not available | +152% | Strong payoff |
| 54 | Goodwin UniversityAssociate's Degree | East Hartford, CT | $73,765 | $33,500 | +94% | Positive payoff |
| 55 | Mount Wachusett Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Gardner, MA | $73,520 | Not available | +169% | Strong payoff |
| 56 | Portland Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Portland, OR | $73,457 | $19,000 | +157% | Strong payoff |
| 57 | Bergen Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Paramus, NJ | $73,064 | $22,382 | +154% | Strong payoff |
| 58 | Carrington College-Phoenix NorthAssociate's Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $72,710 | $27,688 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 59 | Carrington College-MesaAssociate's Degree | Mesa, AZ | $72,710 | $27,688 | +48% | Positive payoff |
| 60 | Virginia Western Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Roanoke, VA | $72,417 | $11,500 | +174% | Strong payoff |
| 61 | SUNY College of Technology at CantonAssociate's Degree | Canton, NY | $72,293 | Not available | +126% | Strong payoff |
| 62 | Pima Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tucson, AZ | $72,213 | $10,000 | +181% | Strong payoff |
| 63 | Plaza CollegeAssociate's Degree | Forest Hills, NY | $72,162 | $25,250 | +109% | Strong payoff |
| 64 | Madison Area Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Madison, WI | $72,145 | $19,000 | +129% | Strong payoff |
| 65 | Montgomery County Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Blue Bell, PA | $71,874 | $16,707 | +139% | Strong payoff |
| 66 | Austin Community College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Austin, TX | $71,867 | Not available | +161% | Strong payoff |
| 67 | Hillsborough CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tampa, FL | $71,854 | Not available | +175% | Strong payoff |
| 68 | Delaware Technical Community College-TerryAssociate's Degree | Dover, DE | $71,788 | $10,562 | +137% | Strong payoff |
| 69 | University of Cincinnati-Main CampusAssociate's Degree | Cincinnati, OH | $71,678 | $19,309 | +89% | Positive payoff |
| 70 | University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash CollegeAssociate's Degree | Blue Ash, OH | $71,678 | $19,309 | +117% | Strong payoff |
| 71 | Iowa Western Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Council Bluffs, IA | $71,502 | $26,481 | +122% | Strong payoff |
| 72 | Community College of Rhode IslandAssociate's Degree | Warwick, RI | $71,451 | $19,786 | +157% | Strong payoff |
| 73 | Normandale Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bloomington, MN | $71,064 | $31,000 | +125% | Strong payoff |
| 74 | Fox CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tinley Park, IL | $70,930 | $20,000 | +123% | Strong payoff |
| 75 | College of DuPageAssociate's Degree | Glen Ellyn, IL | $70,554 | $19,871 | +144% | Strong payoff |
| 76 | University of New HavenAssociate's Degree | West Haven, CT | $70,435 | $20,500 | +61% | Positive payoff |
| 77 | Howard CollegeAssociate's Degree | Big Spring, TX | $70,345 | Not available | +148% | Strong payoff |
| 78 | Temple CollegeAssociate's Degree | Temple, TX | $70,328 | Not available | +127% | Strong payoff |
| 79 | CUNY New York City College of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | Brooklyn, NY | $70,193 | $15,527 | +151% | Strong payoff |
| 80 | Athens Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Athens, GA | $69,983 | Not available | +140% | Strong payoff |
| 81 | William Rainey Harper CollegeAssociate's Degree | Palatine, IL | $69,701 | Not available | +118% | Strong payoff |
| 82 | Florida SouthWestern State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fort Myers, FL | $69,687 | Not available | +136% | Strong payoff |
| 83 | Community College of PhiladelphiaAssociate's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $69,667 | $18,926 | +117% | Strong payoff |
| 84 | Bristol Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fall River, MA | $69,105 | Not available | +138% | Strong payoff |
| 85 | Eastern Florida State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Melbourne, FL | $69,083 | Not available | +134% | Strong payoff |
| 86 | Wake Technical Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $68,457 | Not available | +118% | Strong payoff |
| 87 | Georgia Highlands CollegeAssociate's Degree | Rome, GA | $68,347 | Not available | +125% | Strong payoff |
| 88 | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Asheville, NC | $68,337 | Not available | +106% | Strong payoff |
| 89 | Santa Rosa Junior CollegeAssociate's Degree | Santa Rosa, CA | $68,316 | Not available | +127% | Strong payoff |
| 90 | El Paso Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | El Paso, TX | $68,246 | Not available | +141% | Strong payoff |
| 91 | West Georgia Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Waco, GA | $67,871 | Not available | +141% | Strong payoff |
| 92 | Monroe Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Rochester, NY | $67,757 | $22,615 | +122% | Strong payoff |
| 93 | Palm Beach State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Lake Worth, FL | $67,713 | Not available | +110% | Strong payoff |
| 94 | Tarrant County College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Fort Worth, TX | $67,705 | Not available | +130% | Strong payoff |
| 95 | Allegany College of MarylandAssociate's Degree | Cumberland, MD | $67,669 | Not available | +111% | Strong payoff |
| 96 | Missouri Southern State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Joplin, MO | $67,589 | $25,374 | +98% | Positive payoff |
| 97 | Connecticut State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | New Britain, CT | $67,572 | Not available | +100% | Positive payoff |
| 98 | Concorde Career College-Kansas CityAssociate's Degree | Kansas City, MO | $67,477 | $26,548 | +51% | Positive payoff |
| 99 | Concorde Career College-San AntonioAssociate's Degree | San Antonio, TX | $67,477 | $26,548 | +57% | Positive payoff |
| 100 | Northampton County Area Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bethlehem, PA | $67,259 | $19,690 | +95% | Positive payoff |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.