Dental Support Services and Allied Professions at Parkland College

Parkland College's dental support program graduates earn less than their peers at nearly every other Illinois school offering this degree. With first-year earnings of $47,133—about $10,000 below the Illinois median and in the bottom quarter statewide—graduates trail programs at community colleges like College of Lake County and Rock Valley College by roughly $12,000-$16,000 annually. Even four years out, when earnings climb to $53,326, they remain significantly below what peers at other Illinois programs earn in their first year.

The debt load is reasonable at $13,625, matching the state median and creating a manageable 0.29 debt-to-earnings ratio. This means the financial burden itself isn't crushing. However, the real concern is the earnings gap: graduates here are starting thousands below their in-state peers who attended competing programs, and that differential compounds over a career. The 13% earnings growth to year four is solid, but it's not enough to close the gap with other programs.

For Illinois families, this data suggests looking at other state community colleges first. Programs at College of Lake County, Rock Valley, or College of DuPage deliver substantially higher starting salaries with similar or even lower debt burdens. Unless location in Champaign is essential, the numbers point toward exploring dental support programs that better position graduates for Illinois-level earnings in this field.