Dental Support Services and Allied Professions at UEI College-Gardena

This dental support certificate sits squarely in the middle of California's market but significantly trails both state and national medians. At $26,204 four years out, graduates earn about $1,600 less than the typical California program and $3,000 below the national benchmark. More concerning, the state's top programs—like Cabrillo College at $74,741 and several others above $31,000—demonstrate that substantially better outcomes are available, sometimes at community colleges with lower costs.

The $9,500 debt load is manageable, creating a first-year debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.43, which means graduates can realistically pay this down. The 19% earnings growth from year one to year four shows steady improvement, though even that trajectory leaves graduates earning less than what peers at stronger programs make right out of the gate. With 76% of students receiving Pell grants, this serves a high-need population, but the earnings outcomes suggest they might be better served elsewhere.

For families evaluating dental assistant programs in California, the data points to community colleges or higher-performing certificate programs. When the earnings gap between this program and accessible alternatives reaches $8,000 annually or more, that difference compounds quickly over a career. Unless location or scheduling creates unique constraints, this program's middle-of-the-pack performance makes it difficult to recommend over clearly superior options in the same market.