Dental Support Services and Allied Professions at Great Lakes Institute of Technology

Great Lakes Institute of Technology's dental support program sits squarely in the middle tier—40th percentile among Pennsylvania programs and 41st nationally—but the real concern is what happens after that first job. While graduates enter with manageable debt (just $10,690, well below both state and national medians), earnings actually drop from $24,398 to $22,864 over four years. Compare this to top Pennsylvania programs like Institute of Medical Careers, where graduates earn $28,910, and the gap becomes harder to justify.

The program serves a predominantly low-income population (68% Pell recipients), making that earnings trajectory particularly problematic. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44, graduates can technically manage their loans, but there's little financial breathing room when you're earning below $23,000 annually. The negative earnings growth suggests limited career advancement or hours reduction—neither bodes well for long-term financial stability.

Given the small sample size, these numbers might not tell the full story, but they match what you'd expect from a middle-of-the-pack program with limited upside. If your child is set on dental support work in Pennsylvania, programs like Institute of Medical Careers or YTI Career Institute deliver 20-25% higher earnings for similar training time. This program won't bury graduates in debt, but it's unlikely to deliver the financial security that makes borrowing worthwhile.