Iowa · Dental Support Services and Allied Professions

Best colleges for Dental Support Services and Allied Professions in Iowa

Ranked by graduate earnings

Indian Hills Community College, Des Moines Area Community College and Kirkwood Community College are the top Dental Support Services and Allied Professions programs in Iowa by graduate earnings. Indian Hills Community College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $57,921, College Scorecard. Kirkwood Community College, Western Iowa Tech Community College and Des Moines Area Community College award the most Dental Support Services and Allied Professions degrees and certificates in Iowa: 89, 45 and 41 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 9 Iowa colleges offer Dental Support Services and Allied Professions and award 294 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Dental Support Services and Allied Professions program prepares students for various roles in the healthcare sector, focusing on dental support. This program is ideal for individuals interested in pursuing a career in allied health…

Institutions
9
offering CIP 51.06
States offered
51
with a program page
Degrees / yr
294
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$37,317
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
7
College Scorecard
Median net price
—
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
43%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Dental Assistants
$50,450
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 7 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Indian Hills Community College
Ottumwa Public · Associate degree
$57,9213440%—$6,500
2Des Moines Area Community College
Ankeny Public · Certificate
$37,3174139%—$9,500
3Kirkwood Community College
Cedar Rapids Public · Associate degree
$36,8858943%—$14,978
4Hawkeye Community College
Waterloo Public · Certificate
$32,8343443%—$13,125
5Western Iowa Tech Community College
Sioux City Public · Certificate
$30,7354550%—$6,165
6Iowa Western Community College
Council Bluffs Public · Associate degree Small program
$64,9171640%—$26,481
7Iowa Central Community College
Fort Dodge Public · Associate degree Small program
$59,7461642%—$18,500

Colleges awarding the most Dental Support Services and Allied Professions degrees in Iowa

Top 9 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Kirkwood Community College
Cedar Rapids Public
89$36,885
2Western Iowa Tech Community College
Sioux City Public
45$30,735
3Des Moines Area Community College
Ankeny Public
41$37,317
4Hawkeye Community College
Waterloo Public
34$32,834
5Indian Hills Community College
Ottumwa Public
34$57,921
6Iowa Central Community College
Fort Dodge Public
16$59,746
7Iowa Western Community College
Council Bluffs Public
16$64,917
8Eastern Iowa Community College District
Davenport Public
11Not reported
9Marshalltown Community College
Marshalltown Public
8Not reported

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Dental Assistants (SOC 31-9091).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+6.4%
Faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~52,900
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$47,300
typically Postsecondary nondegree award

Top skills

Active ListeningSpeakingReading ComprehensionMonitoringActive LearningCritical Thinking

What Dental Assistants earn in Iowa

Jobs in Iowa
3,210
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$50,450
median $48,430
Best-paying metro
$52,570
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

Related careers

Dental Assistants
$50,450 avg · 3,210 jobs
Dental Hygienists
$86,640 avg · 2,440 jobs
Dental Laboratory Technicians
$52,700 avg · 380 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Dental Support Services and Allied Professions programs in Iowa.

Which Iowa colleges award the most Dental Support Services and Allied Professions degrees?+

Kirkwood Community College (89 graduates a year), Western Iowa Tech Community College (45 graduates a year) and Des Moines Area Community College (41 graduates a year) award the most Dental Support Services and Allied Professions degrees and certificates in Iowa, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 9 Iowa colleges offer Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.

What is the best college for Dental Support Services and Allied Professions in Iowa?+

By graduate earnings, Indian Hills Community College leads among Dental Support Services and Allied Professions programs in Iowa, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $57,921, College Scorecard. Des Moines Area Community College and Kirkwood Community College follow. By degrees awarded, Kirkwood Community College is the largest, with 89 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Dental Support Services and Allied Professions program in Iowa has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Indian Hills Community College tops the list at $57,921. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Dental Assistants earn in Iowa?+

The average annual wage for Dental Assistants in Iowa is $50,450 (median $48,430), across about 3,210 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Dental Support Services and Allied Professions program?+

The Dental Support Services and Allied Professions program prepares students for various roles in the healthcare sector, focusing on dental support. This program is ideal for individuals interested in pursuing a career in allied health…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, monitoring, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Dental Assistants?+

The national job outlook is about +6.4% growth with around 52,900 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

Dental Support Services and Allied Professions in other statesHawaiiNew HampshireOklahomaWashingtonWyomingIdahoMassachusettsDelaware

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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