2026 Best Value Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Schools in Maryland

[Dental Hygiene/Hygienist](/majors/health-care-professions/dental-support-services/dental-hygiene-hygienist/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for dental hygiene/hygienist students.
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2026 Best Value Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Schools in Maryland
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
Our analysis ranked The Community College Of Baltimore County the best value for a degree in dental hygiene/hygienist in Maryland. Located in the suburb of Baltimore, The Community College Of Baltimore County is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,110, while out-of-state students pay about $10,182. Typical student debt for dental hygiene/hygienist graduates is $18,038. Soon after graduation, dental hygiene/hygienist degree recipients from The Community College Of Baltimore County generally make around $62,255. That is a strong return on a $18,038 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Hagerstown Community College earned it the #2 place for dental hygiene/hygienist. Located in the suburb of Hagerstown, Hagerstown Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,320, compared with $8,190 for out-of-state students. Dental Hygiene/hygienist graduates carry a median of $16,000 in student loans. Dental Hygiene/hygienist graduates of Hagerstown Community College earn a median of $60,419 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,000 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in dental hygiene/hygienist will find it at Baltimore City Community College, which ranked #3. Baltimore City Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Baltimore. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,314, with out-of-state students paying around $7,394. Dental Hygiene/hygienist graduates carry a median of $11,202 in student loans. Early-career dental hygiene/hygienist graduates make about $51,023. Set against $11,202 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #4 makes Allegany College Of Maryland one of the best values for dental hygiene/hygienist. Set in the town of Cumberland, Allegany College Of Maryland is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,940, compared with $12,620 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for dental hygiene/hygienist graduates is $18,823. Soon after graduation, dental hygiene/hygienist degree recipients from Allegany College Of Maryland generally make around $51,136. That is a strong return on a $18,823 median debt.
Howard Community College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value dental hygiene/hygienist schools. Located in the city of Columbia, Howard Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,599, with out-of-state students paying around $10,836. Dental Hygiene/hygienist graduates carry a median of $18,115 in student loans. Dental Hygiene/hygienist graduates of Howard Community College earn a median of $56,172 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Fortis College Landover earned the #6 position for value in dental hygiene/hygienist this year. Located in the suburb of Landover, Fortis College Landover is a small private for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,522. Students borrow a median of $21,875 to complete the dental hygiene/hygienist program here. Dental Hygiene/hygienist graduates of Fortis College Landover earn a median of $47,754 early in their careers. Set against $21,875 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. 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 · 7 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.