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

Pima Medical Institute-Mesa's dental support program delivers solid performance with earnings that outpace both national and state medians by a meaningful margin. Starting salaries of $27,301 exceed the national median by $2,046 and the Arizona median by $816, placing graduates in the 67th percentile nationally and 60th percentile within Arizona. The debt load of $8,509 is also notably lower than typical programs, creating a favorable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31—meaning graduates earn back their full investment in roughly four months of work.

The earnings trajectory shows steady growth, with salaries increasing 12% to $30,467 by year four. While this puts the program in the middle tier among Arizona's dental support schools (ranking 4th out of the top programs), the lower debt burden makes it competitive on value. The robust sample size of 100+ graduates gives confidence in these outcomes, and the 46% Pell grant rate indicates the program successfully serves working-class students.

For parents considering this investment, the numbers work well: your child would graduate with manageable debt and earn above-average wages in a stable healthcare field. While not the highest-earning dental support program in Arizona, the combination of reasonable debt and solid starting salaries makes this a financially sound choice for entering the dental assistant field.