by our College Data Analytics Team
[Dentistry](/majors/health-care-professions/dentistry/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. The highest-paying schools turn a dentistry degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the early-career earnings of their dentistry graduates.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose dentistry graduates go on to earn the most.
Our analysis ranked Loma Linda University the top school for dentistry graduate earnings in California. Set in the suburb of Loma Linda, Loma Linda University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the dentistry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $145,144.
Students chasing top earnings in dentistry will find them at University Of The Pacific, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Stockton, University Of The Pacific is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career dentistry graduates from University Of The Pacific make a median of around $150,878 per year.
Western University Of Health Sciences came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying dentistry schools. Set in the suburb of Pomona, Western University Of Health Sciences is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, dentistry degree recipients from Western University Of Health Sciences typically earn about $143,654 annually.
University Of California Los Angeles produces some of the highest-paid graduates in dentistry, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a public institution. Dentistry graduates of University Of California Los Angeles earn a median of about $132,919 a year early in their careers.
University Of California San Francisco produces some of the highest-paid graduates in dentistry, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of San Francisco, University Of California San Francisco is a public institution. After graduating, dentistry degree recipients from University Of California San Francisco typically earn about $126,951 annually.
University Of Southern California landed the #6 spot for dentistry salaries this year. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, dentistry degree recipients from University Of Southern California typically earn about $122,473 annually.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their dentistry graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 6 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.