2026 Best Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Schools in Iowa
Dental Hygiene/Hygienist is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best dental hygiene/hygienist schools.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Dental Hygiene/Hygienist in Iowa
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the dental hygiene/hygienist degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Dental Hygiene/Hygienist
Des Moines Area Community College is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in dental hygiene/hygienist. Set in the suburb of Ankeny, Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public institution. Des Moines Area Community College awarded about 23 dental hygiene/hygienist degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, dental hygiene/hygienist degree recipients from Des Moines Area Community College generally make around $43,635. Students borrow a median of $9,500 to complete this degree.
Read more about the dental hygiene/hygienist program at Des Moines Area Community College
Indian Hills Community College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in dental hygiene/hygienist, landing the #2 spot this year. Indian Hills Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Ottumwa. About 17 dental hygiene/hygienist degrees were awarded at Indian Hills Community College in the most recent year. Graduates of the dental hygiene/hygienist program make about $57,921 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $12,251 to complete this degree.
See the full dental hygiene/hygienist program report for Indian Hills Community College
Students looking for a strong dental hygiene/hygienist program will find one at Iowa Central Community College, which ranked #3. Iowa Central Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Fort Dodge. There were roughly 15 dental hygiene/hygienist students who graduated with this degree at Iowa Central Community College in the most recent data year. Dental Hygiene/hygienist graduates of Iowa Central Community College earn a median of $59,746 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $18,500.
Get the full dental hygiene/hygienist details for Iowa Central Community College
A rank of #4 makes Iowa Western Community College one of the top schools for dental hygiene/hygienist. Located in the suburb of Council Bluffs, Iowa Western Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Iowa Western Community College awarded about 14 dental hygiene/hygienist degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the dental hygiene/hygienist program make about $64,917 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $26,481 to complete this degree.
See the full dental hygiene/hygienist program report for Iowa Western Community College
Students looking for a strong dental hygiene/hygienist program will find one at Kirkwood Community College, which ranked #5. This large public university is located in the city of Cedar Rapids. About 18 dental hygiene/hygienist degrees were awarded at Kirkwood Community College in the most recent year. Students who receive their dental hygiene/hygienist degree from Kirkwood Community College earn around $36,885 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $14,978 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in dental hygiene/hygienist from Kirkwood Community College
Hawkeye Community College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best dental hygiene/hygienist schools. Located in the rural area of Waterloo, Hawkeye Community College is a moderately-sized public university. There were roughly 16 dental hygiene/hygienist students who graduated with this degree at Hawkeye Community College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their dental hygiene/hygienist degree from Hawkeye Community College earn around $32,834 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $13,125 to complete this degree.
Get the full dental hygiene/hygienist details for Hawkeye Community College
More Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Rankings
View All Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 7 schools evaluated.
- 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.
