2027 Best Value Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Schools in Iowa
[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 schools below stand out for delivering a strong dental hygiene/hygienist education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for dental hygiene/hygienist students.
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2027 Best Value Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in dental hygiene/hygienist, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Schools
Our analysis ranked Iowa Central Community College the best value for a degree in dental hygiene/hygienist in Iowa. Set in the town of Fort Dodge, Iowa Central Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,496 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $7,788. Students borrow a median of $18,500 to complete the dental hygiene/hygienist program here. Early-career dental hygiene/hygienist graduates make about $59,746. That is a strong return on a $18,500 median debt.
Hawkeye Community College came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value dental hygiene/hygienist schools. Set in the rural area of Waterloo, Hawkeye Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,525, with out-of-state students paying around $6,612. Dental Hygiene/hygienist graduates carry a median of $13,125 in student loans. Early-career dental hygiene/hygienist graduates make about $32,834. That is a strong return on a $13,125 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Kirkwood Community College earned it the #3 place for dental hygiene/hygienist. Kirkwood Community College is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Rapids. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,176, while out-of-state students pay about $8,220. Dental Hygiene/hygienist graduates carry a median of $14,978 in student loans. Soon after graduation, dental hygiene/hygienist degree recipients from Kirkwood Community College generally make around $36,885. Set against $14,978 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Indian Hills Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in dental hygiene/hygienist, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the town of Ottumwa, Indian Hills Community College is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,040, compared with $6,120 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for dental hygiene/hygienist graduates is $12,251. Early-career dental hygiene/hygienist graduates make about $57,921. 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 Des Moines Area Community College, which ranked #5. Set in the suburb of Ankeny, Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,790, while out-of-state students pay about $6,690. Dental Hygiene/hygienist graduates carry a median of $9,500 in student loans. Early-career dental hygiene/hygienist graduates make about $43,635. Set against $9,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Iowa Western Community College landed the #6 spot for dental hygiene/hygienist value 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, while out-of-state students pay about $7,080. Students borrow a median of $26,481 to complete the dental hygiene/hygienist program here. Early-career dental hygiene/hygienist graduates make about $64,917. That is a strong return on a $26,481 median debt.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
