2026 Best Value Dental Assisting/Assistant Schools in Massachusetts

[Dental Assisting/Assistant](/majors/health-care-professions/dental-support-services/dental-assisting-assistant/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value dental assisting/assistant schools.
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2026 Best Value Dental Assisting/Assistant Schools in Massachusetts
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the dental assisting/assistant degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Dental Assisting/Assistant Schools
Middlesex Community College Bedford earned the #1 spot for value among dental assisting/assistant schools in Massachusetts. Set in the suburb of Bedford, Middlesex Community College Bedford is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,098 in tuition and fees, compared with $12,170 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for dental assisting/assistant graduates is $16,100. Dental Assisting/assistant graduates of Middlesex Community College Bedford earn a median of $55,428 early in their careers. Set against $16,100 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in dental assisting/assistant will find it at Northern Essex Community College, which ranked #2. Located in the suburb of Haverhill, Northern Essex Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $6,732 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $12,516. Typical student debt for dental assisting/assistant graduates is $11,002. Dental Assisting/assistant graduates of Northern Essex Community College earn a median of $44,682 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,002 median debt.
Quinsigamond Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in dental assisting/assistant, landing the #3 spot this year. Quinsigamond Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Worcester. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,262, while out-of-state students pay about $11,206. Students borrow a median of $24,000 to complete the dental assisting/assistant program here. Dental Assisting/assistant graduates of Quinsigamond Community College earn a median of $66,252 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Springfield Technical Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in dental assisting/assistant, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Springfield, Springfield Technical Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,904, while out-of-state students pay about $11,112. Typical student debt for dental assisting/assistant graduates is $11,372. Early-career dental assisting/assistant graduates make about $56,883. Set against $11,372 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Mount Wachusett Community College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value dental assisting/assistant schools. Mount Wachusett Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Gardner. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,160, with out-of-state students paying around $11,080. Dental Assisting/assistant graduates carry a median of $11,497 in student loans. Early-career dental assisting/assistant graduates make about $68,670. That is a strong return on a $11,497 median debt.
Southeastern Technical Institute earned the #6 position for value in dental assisting/assistant this year. Located in the suburb of South Easton, Southeastern Technical Institute is a small public university. Dental Assisting/assistant graduates carry a median of $10,000 in student loans. Early-career dental assisting/assistant graduates make about $49,476. Southeastern Technical Institute admits about 71% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 8 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.