Dental Support Services and Allied Professions at Florida Career College-Orlando

At just under $25,000 in first-year earnings, Florida Career College-Orlando's dental support program sits squarely in the middle of the pack—it matches both the state and national median almost exactly. The $9,500 in debt is manageable, with graduates owing less than half their first-year salary, but here's what should concern you: top programs in Florida are producing graduates earning $7,000-$8,000 more annually with similar debt loads. Daytona State College and Meridian College graduates earn above $31,000, meaning those students recoup their debt faster and build wealth more quickly.

The program serves a predominantly low-income student population (69% receive Pell grants), and for students who need quick workforce entry, the certificate delivers a modest but accessible path into dental offices. However, the 60th percentile ranking within Florida reveals this is a below-average option among the state's 53 dental support programs. You're not getting ripped off—the debt-to-earnings ratio is reasonable—but you're not getting the strongest preparation either.

If staying in Orlando is essential, this program gets your child employed in about a year. But if mobility is possible, directing them toward Daytona State (just an hour away) could mean $7,500 more annually from day one. That difference compounds over a career and fundamentally changes financial security in an already modest-paying field.