Dental Support Services and Allied Professions at UEI College-Chula Vista

This dental support program at UEI College-Chula Vista delivers concerning earnings outcomes that significantly underperform both national and state standards. With first-year median earnings of just $19,904—ranking in only the 10th percentile nationally and 25th percentile among California programs—graduates earn about $5,000 less than the typical dental support program graduate in California ($24,628) and nearly $5,400 less than the national median ($25,255). The gap becomes even more stark when compared to top California programs like Cabrillo College, where graduates earn $74,741, nearly four times more.

While the debt load is manageable at $9,500 (matching both state and national medians), the low starting earnings create a challenging financial picture. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48 means graduates owe nearly half their first-year salary, making loan repayment more difficult than it should be for this field. The 32% earnings growth to $26,229 by year four helps but still leaves graduates earning less than what peers make immediately after graduation elsewhere.

For families considering this investment, the data suggests looking elsewhere. With 96 dental support programs available across California, including several community colleges and other institutions with dramatically better earnings outcomes, this program appears to be a poor value proposition despite the relatively low debt burden.