Dental Support Services and Allied Professions at Miller-Motte College-Chattanooga

This dental support program at Miller-Motte College-Chattanooga presents significant concerns that warrant serious consideration before enrollment. With first-year earnings of just $19,134, graduates earn substantially less than both the national median ($25,255) and Tennessee median ($21,721) for this field. The program ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally, meaning 95% of similar programs nationwide produce better earning outcomes.

While the program performs better within Tennessee (40th percentile among state programs), this is largely because Tennessee's dental support programs generally underperform national standards. Even among Tennessee schools, this program significantly trails the top performers—graduates from Chattanooga State Community College earn $31,590, nearly 65% more than Miller-Motte graduates. The debt burden of $11,825, though higher than typical for this field, remains manageable with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62.

The 17% earnings growth over four years is encouraging, and the robust sample size gives confidence in these numbers. However, even after four years, median earnings of $22,287 remain well below what graduates can achieve elsewhere. Given that 85% of students receive Pell grants, this suggests the program serves students who would benefit most from strong employment outcomes. Parents should seriously consider the state's community college and technical school alternatives, which offer substantially better career prospects in the same field.