Dental Support Services and Allied Professions at Summit College

Summit College's dental support program starts with troublingly low earnings—just under $20,000 in the first year—ranking in the bottom quartile both nationally and among California's 96 programs. While graduates see substantial income growth to $28,600 by year four, they're still earning less than the typical first-year graduate from stronger programs. The gap is stark: California community colleges like Cabrillo and Cerritos produce graduates earning $34,000 to $75,000 annually, more than double what Summit students make even after four years in the field.

The debt burden is relatively modest at $8,400, but that's still concerning when weighed against starting pay barely above minimum wage. It would take nearly half a year's gross earnings just to cover the loan balance—a difficult position for someone in their first professional job. The program serves a predominantly low-income student body (53% on Pell grants), making that initial earnings gap particularly consequential.

With fewer than 30 graduates in this data set, these numbers may not tell the full story. However, the pattern is clear enough to warrant serious concern: this program significantly underperforms both state and national benchmarks. Parents should investigate why Summit graduates earn so much less than peers from other California schools, particularly community colleges that likely cost less upfront. Unless there's a compelling explanation for the earnings gap, students can find substantially better pathways into dental support careers elsewhere in California.