2026 Best Value Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Schools in Wisconsin

[Dental Hygiene/Hygienist](/majors/health-care-professions/dental-support-services/dental-hygiene-hygienist/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong dental hygiene/hygienist education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for dental hygiene/hygienist students.
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2026 Best Value Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Schools in Wisconsin
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the dental hygiene/hygienist degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Schools
Leading the list is Gateway Technical College, our #1 best value for dental hygiene/hygienist in Wisconsin. Set in the city of Kenosha, Gateway Technical College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,956 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $7,199. Students borrow a median of $14,829 to complete the dental hygiene/hygienist program here. Dental Hygiene/hygienist graduates of Gateway Technical College earn a median of $42,410 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in dental hygiene/hygienist will find it at Waukesha County Technical College, which ranked #2. Waukesha County Technical College is a large public school located in the suburb of Pewaukee. In-state tuition and fees average $4,803, compared with $7,046 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,200 to complete the dental hygiene/hygienist program here. Early-career dental hygiene/hygienist graduates make about $47,043. That is a strong return on a $16,200 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in dental hygiene/hygienist will find it at Milwaukee Area Technical College, which ranked #3. Milwaukee Area Technical College is a very large public school located in the city of Milwaukee. In-state tuition and fees average $5,184, while out-of-state students pay about $7,427. Students borrow a median of $25,034 to complete the dental hygiene/hygienist program here. Early-career dental hygiene/hygienist graduates make about $43,973. That is a strong return on a $25,034 median debt.
A rank of #4 makes Northeast Wisconsin Technical College one of the best values for dental hygiene/hygienist. Set in the city of Green Bay, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,960, compared with $7,203 for out-of-state students. Dental Hygiene/hygienist graduates carry a median of $14,997 in student loans. Early-career dental hygiene/hygienist graduates make about $52,744. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in dental hygiene/hygienist will find it at Blackhawk Technical College, which ranked #5. Set in the suburb of Janesville, Blackhawk Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,747, with out-of-state students paying around $6,803. Dental Hygiene/hygienist graduates carry a median of $13,715 in student loans. Dental Hygiene/hygienist graduates of Blackhawk Technical College earn a median of $27,831 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Fox Valley Technical College placed #6 among the best values for dental hygiene/hygienist. Located in the suburb of Appleton, Fox Valley Technical College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,040, with out-of-state students paying around $7,283. Dental Hygiene/hygienist graduates carry a median of $5,500 in student loans. Early-career dental hygiene/hygienist graduates make about $44,625. That is a strong return on a $5,500 median debt.
Northcentral Technical College placed #7 among the best values for dental hygiene/hygienist. Located in the city of Wausau, Northcentral Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,889, compared with $7,132 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for dental hygiene/hygienist graduates is $17,462. Soon after graduation, dental hygiene/hygienist degree recipients from Northcentral Technical College generally make around $48,083. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Chippewa Valley Technical College placed #8 among the best values for dental hygiene/hygienist. Located in the city of Eau Claire, Chippewa Valley Technical College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,844, while out-of-state students pay about $7,087. Typical student debt for dental hygiene/hygienist graduates is $14,234. Soon after graduation, dental hygiene/hygienist degree recipients from Chippewa Valley Technical College generally make around $56,841. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Madison Area Technical College came in at #9 for value in dental hygiene/hygienist this year. Set in the city of Madison, Madison Area Technical College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,977 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,141 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for dental hygiene/hygienist graduates is $19,000. Dental Hygiene/hygienist graduates of Madison Area Technical College earn a median of $59,139 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,000 median debt.
Marian University Wisconsin came in at #10 for value in dental hygiene/hygienist this year. Marian University Wisconsin is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Fond Du Lac. In-state tuition and fees average $35,204. Students borrow a median of $27,242 to complete the dental hygiene/hygienist program here. Soon after graduation, dental hygiene/hygienist degree recipients from Marian University Wisconsin generally make around $72,102. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Marian University Wisconsin admits about 75% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.