2026 Best Value Dental Assisting/Assistant Schools in New York

[Dental Assisting/Assistant](/majors/health-care-professions/dental-support-services/dental-assisting-assistant/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong dental assisting/assistant education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools to find the best return on investment for dental assisting/assistant students.
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2026 Best Value Dental Assisting/Assistant Schools in New York
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in dental assisting/assistant, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Dental Assisting/Assistant Schools
Erie Community College earned the #1 spot for value among dental assisting/assistant schools in New York. Set in the city of Buffalo, Erie Community College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,100, while out-of-state students pay about $11,300. Typical student debt for dental assisting/assistant graduates is $18,737. Soon after graduation, dental assisting/assistant degree recipients from Erie Community College generally make around $41,077. Set against $18,737 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Monroe Community College one of the best values for dental assisting/assistant. Located in the suburb of Rochester, Monroe Community College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,006, compared with $11,056 for out-of-state students. Dental Assisting/assistant graduates carry a median of $22,615 in student loans. Dental Assisting/assistant graduates of Monroe Community College earn a median of $41,522 early in their careers. Set against $22,615 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes Hudson Valley Community College one of the best values for dental assisting/assistant. Set in the city of Troy, Hudson Valley Community College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,796, compared with $11,852 for out-of-state students. Dental Assisting/assistant graduates carry a median of $16,515 in student loans. Early-career dental assisting/assistant graduates make about $52,151. That is a strong return on a $16,515 median debt.
Onondaga Cortland Madison Boces is a great value for students pursuing a degree in dental assisting/assistant, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Liverpool, Onondaga Cortland Madison Boces is a small public university. Dental Assisting/assistant graduates carry a median of $9,024 in student loans. Early-career dental assisting/assistant graduates make about $26,253. Set against $9,024 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in dental assisting/assistant will find it at New York School For Medical And Dental Assistants, which ranked #5. New York School For Medical And Dental Assistants is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Long Island City. Students borrow a median of $8,650 to complete the dental assisting/assistant program here. Dental Assisting/assistant graduates of New York School For Medical And Dental Assistants earn a median of $28,538 early in their careers. Set against $8,650 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Westchester School For Dental Assistant placed #6 among the best values for dental assisting/assistant. Set in the suburb of Ardsley, Westchester School For Dental Assistant is a small private for-profit institution. Dental Assisting/assistant graduates carry a median of $3,666 in student loans. Early-career dental assisting/assistant graduates make about $24,390.
Mandl School The College Of Allied Health ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value dental assisting/assistant schools. Mandl School The College Of Allied Health is a small private for-profit school located in the city of New York. Students from in state pay about $21,700 in tuition and fees. Dental Assisting/assistant graduates carry a median of $9,995 in student loans. Dental Assisting/assistant graduates of Mandl School The College Of Allied Health earn a median of $28,585 early in their careers. Set against $9,995 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.