Dental Support Services and Allied Professions at Cape Cod Community College

Cape Cod Community College's dental support program shows concerning signs, particularly when compared to other Massachusetts options. While graduates start at a reasonable $54,903—right at the national median—earnings dip to $51,792 by year four. More troubling is how this stacks up locally: the program ranks in just the 40th percentile among Massachusetts dental programs, with top community colleges like Mount Wachusett and Quinsigamond placing graduates who earn $15,000-$20,000 more annually.

The debt picture compounds these concerns. At $26,376, borrowers here take on about $3,500 more than the state median and nearly $7,000 above the national average for this degree. That's a meaningful difference when your earnings are already trailing in-state peers. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48 isn't catastrophic, but it means graduates carry roughly half a year's salary in loans while watching their income decline rather than grow.

With only a small sample size behind these numbers, proceed carefully. If your child is set on dental hygiene work in Massachusetts, this data suggests looking first at Mount Wachusett or Quinsigamond, where graduates earn substantially more from day one. Cape Cod may make sense for students who need to stay local, but the combination of above-average debt and below-average Massachusetts earnings makes it a weaker financial bet than several alternatives in the state.