Dental Support Services and Allied Professions at Fortis College-Salt Lake City

The $44,222 in debt here is more than twice Utah's median for dental support programs and dramatically above the national average of $19,309. While first-year earnings of $48,870 might seem to justify this—putting graduates solidly above Utah's median of $39,676—those earnings crater to $28,245 by year four. That 42% decline suggests either dramatic instability in graduate career paths or a disconnect between initial placement and sustainable employment in this field.

This program ranks in the 60th percentile statewide for earnings, which sounds reasonable until you consider that Salt Lake Community College produces similar outcomes with roughly half the debt load. The national picture is even more concerning: Fortis ranks in just the 31st percentile for earnings while sitting in the 5th percentile for debt—meaning 95% of comparable programs nationwide saddle students with less debt.

For a family considering this investment, the math is troubling. Even in that promising first year, graduates are spending 90 cents of every dollar earned on debt obligations before living expenses. By year four, when earnings have collapsed to $28,245, managing $44,000 in loans becomes genuinely difficult. Unless there's a compelling reason this specific program opens unique doors, parents should seriously explore why Salt Lake Community College's dental program—with comparable placement and far less debt—isn't the default choice.