Dental Support Services and Allied Professions at Cabrillo College

First-year earnings of $74,741 put this program in the 95th percentile nationally and statewide—an exceptional result for a dental support certificate. The typical graduate from similar programs earns around $25,000, making Cabrillo's outcomes roughly three times the norm. While debt figures are estimated from similar programs nationally (around $9,400), the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.13 suggests manageable repayment even if actual debt runs higher. What's puzzling is the earnings dip to $69,000 by year four, but even this lower figure dramatically outpaces what most dental support programs deliver.

The caveat here is significant: these earnings figures come from a small graduate cohort, which may reflect an unusually successful group rather than typical outcomes. The top-performing programs in California with reported data show earnings in the $29,000-$34,000 range—still excellent for this field, but nowhere near $74,000. This gap raises questions about whether Cabrillo's program connects students to unusually high-paying positions (perhaps in specialized dental practices or administrative roles) or whether the data captures an outlier year.

For parents, the risk-reward calculus is straightforward if these outcomes hold: minimal debt for potentially exceptional earnings. But given the small sample and dramatic outperformance, verify what's typical by speaking directly with recent graduates and employers. If even half these earnings materialize, it's still an outstanding investment.