Dental Support Services and Allied Professions at College of DuPage

College of DuPage's dental support program graduates earn $59,215 in their first year—above both the national and Illinois medians for this field. That places graduates in the 68th percentile nationally and 60th percentile statewide, meaning they're outearning most peers in similar programs. The debt load of $19,871 is manageable, translating to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.34, which means graduates could realistically pay off their loans in about four months of gross income.

The tradeoff here is the debt itself. While the earnings are competitive with top Illinois programs like Rock Valley College and Lake Land College, the $19,871 in debt is notably higher than the state median of $13,625. Some Illinois community colleges are producing similar outcomes with significantly less student borrowing. That said, the earning power still makes this debt reasonable—dental support roles typically offer stable employment with clear career paths.

For parents considering this program, the fundamentals work: strong first-year earnings, reasonable debt burden, and performance that beats most comparable programs. The slightly elevated debt compared to other Illinois schools is worth monitoring, but it doesn't undermine the overall value proposition when graduates are clearing nearly $60,000 right out of the gate.