by our College Data Analytics Team
[Dentistry](/majors/health-care-professions/dentistry/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong dentistry education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for dentistry students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the dentistry degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in dentistry, no school beat Harvard University this year. Set in the city of Cambridge, Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $61,676. Dentistry graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans. Soon after graduation, dentistry degree recipients from Harvard University generally make around $74,743. That is a strong return on a $16,616 median debt. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Boston University earned it the #2 place for dentistry. Located in the city of Boston, Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $68,102. Dentistry graduates carry a median of $25,232 in student loans. Early-career dentistry graduates make about $111,866. Set against $25,232 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Boston University admits about 11% of applicants.
University Of Connecticut came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value dentistry schools. University Of Connecticut is a very large public school located in the town of Storrs. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,044, while out-of-state students pay about $43,712. Typical student debt for dentistry graduates is $23,637. Early-career dentistry graduates make about $91,124. Set against $23,637 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Connecticut admits about 52% of applicants.
University Of New England came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value dentistry schools. Located in the suburb of Biddeford, University Of New England is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $44,210. Dentistry graduates carry a median of $26,838 in student loans. Early-career dentistry graduates make about $119,565. That is a strong return on a $26,838 median debt. The acceptance rate is 92%.
A rank of #5 makes Tufts University one of the best values for dentistry. Located in the suburb of Medford, Tufts University is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $70,704 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $17,074 to complete the dentistry program here. Dentistry graduates of Tufts University earn a median of $116,356 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,074 median debt. Roughly 12% of applicants are accepted.
This list is compiled 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.