2027 Best Value Dental Assisting/Assistant Schools in Iowa
[Dental Assisting/Assistant](/majors/health-care-professions/dental-support-services/dental-assisting-assistant/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value dental assisting/assistant schools.
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2027 Best Value Dental Assisting/Assistant Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in dental assisting/assistant, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Dental Assisting/Assistant Schools
For return on investment in dental assisting/assistant, no school beat Western Iowa Tech Community College this year. Located in the city of Sioux City, Western Iowa Tech Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,186, compared with $5,330 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $6,165 to complete the dental assisting/assistant program here. Early-career dental assisting/assistant graduates make about $30,735. Set against $6,165 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in dental assisting/assistant will find it at Iowa Central Community College, which ranked #2. Iowa Central Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Fort Dodge. Students from in state pay about $5,496 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $7,788. Typical student debt for dental assisting/assistant graduates is $18,500. Dental Assisting/assistant graduates of Iowa Central Community College earn a median of $59,746 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $18,500 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Hawkeye Community College one of the best values for dental assisting/assistant. Hawkeye Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Waterloo. In-state tuition and fees average $6,525, compared with $6,612 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for dental assisting/assistant graduates is $13,125. Soon after graduation, dental assisting/assistant degree recipients from Hawkeye Community College generally make around $32,834. That is a strong return on a $13,125 median debt.
A rank of #4 makes Kirkwood Community College one of the best values for dental assisting/assistant. Located in the city of Cedar Rapids, Kirkwood Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,176, with out-of-state students paying around $8,220. Typical student debt for dental assisting/assistant graduates is $14,978. Soon after graduation, dental assisting/assistant degree recipients from Kirkwood Community College generally make around $36,885. Set against $14,978 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #5 makes Indian Hills Community College one of the best values for dental assisting/assistant. Located in the town of Ottumwa, Indian Hills Community College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,040, with out-of-state students paying around $6,120. Students borrow a median of $12,251 to complete the dental assisting/assistant program here. Early-career dental assisting/assistant graduates make about $57,921. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Des Moines Area Community College ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value dental assisting/assistant schools. Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Ankeny. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,790, compared with $6,690 for out-of-state students. Dental Assisting/assistant graduates carry a median of $9,500 in student loans. Early-career dental assisting/assistant graduates make about $43,635. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Eastern Iowa Community College District placed #7 among the best values for dental assisting/assistant. Eastern Iowa Community College District is a large public school located in the city of Davenport. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,848, while out-of-state students pay about $6,456. Students borrow a median of $9,362 to complete the dental assisting/assistant program here. Early-career dental assisting/assistant graduates make about $41,510. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Iowa Western Community College came in at #8 for value in dental assisting/assistant this year. Iowa Western Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Council Bluffs. Students from in state pay about $6,930 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $7,080. Students borrow a median of $26,481 to complete the dental assisting/assistant program here. Dental Assisting/assistant graduates of Iowa Western Community College earn a median of $64,917 early in their careers. Set against $26,481 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), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, 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 8 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.
