Dental Support Services and Allied Professions at Pima Medical Institute-Albuquerque

Pima Medical Institute-Albuquerque graduates enter the dental support field earning $56,300—slightly above the national median but typical for New Mexico, where they rank exactly at the 60th percentile among dental programs. However, the real concern here is debt: at $35,147, students borrow nearly twice what their peers nationally take on (national median: $19,309). This puts the program in the 5th percentile nationally for debt levels, meaning 95% of comparable programs saddle students with less borrowing. With 60% of students receiving Pell grants, this represents a significant financial burden for a largely lower-income student body.

The 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe about 7.5 months of their first year's salary—manageable, but only if they maintain steady employment in a field where earnings barely budge over time (just 3% growth from year one to year four). For context, many dental support roles reach their earning ceiling quickly, and $57,698 four years out isn't dramatically different from where graduates start.

The bottom line: This program delivers access to a stable career field with reasonable starting pay, but families should scrutinize whether borrowing $35,000 makes sense when national competitors produce similar outcomes with half the debt. If your child can find comparable training elsewhere—particularly at community colleges with lower tuition—that's worth exploring before committing to this price point.