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

Florida Career College-Tampa's dental support program sits right at the median for Florida, but that doesn't tell the full story. At $24,595 in first-year earnings, graduates earn less than the national average for this field—and significantly less than top Florida programs like Daytona State College ($32,107) or Meridian College ($31,980). That's a gap of roughly $7,000 to $8,000 annually, which compounds considerably over a career. With 53 dental support programs across Florida, your child has options that could deliver 25-30% higher starting earnings.

The debt load is manageable at $9,500, creating a comfortable 0.39 debt-to-earnings ratio that graduates should be able to handle. This is especially relevant given that 70% of students here receive Pell grants, suggesting the school serves primarily lower-income families who need to minimize financial risk. The program won't bury your child in debt, which matters.

The central question is whether accepting below-average earnings makes sense when community colleges like Daytona State offer the same credential with substantially better outcomes. Unless location or scheduling constraints make Florida Career College-Tampa the only viable option, exploring those higher-performing alternatives—particularly public technical colleges—would be worth the effort before committing.