by our College Data Analytics Team
[Dentistry](/majors/health-care-professions/dentistry/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The schools below stand out for the salaries their dentistry graduates go on to command.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find where dentistry graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send dentistry graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked Southern Illinois University Edwardsville the top school for dentistry graduate earnings in the Great Lakes Region. Located in the suburb of Edwardsville, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a public institution. After graduating, dentistry degree recipients from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville typically earn about $184,203 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in dentistry will find them at Marquette University, which ranked #2. Marquette University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Milwaukee. Dentistry graduates of Marquette University earn a median of about $195,870 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in dentistry will find them at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, which ranked #3. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a public school located in the city of Indianapolis. Dentistry graduates of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis earn a median of about $170,459 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Ohio State University Main Campus earned it the #4 place for dentistry. Set in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a public institution. Students who complete the dentistry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $171,323.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Detroit Mercy earned it the #5 place for dentistry. Set in the city of Detroit, University Of Detroit Mercy is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the dentistry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $154,510.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor came in at #6 for dentistry graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a public institution. Students who complete the dentistry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $158,677.
University Of Illinois At Chicago came in at #7 for dentistry graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a public institution. Dentistry graduates of University Of Illinois At Chicago earn a median of about $131,013 a year early in their careers.
Case Western Reserve University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying dentistry schools. Case Western Reserve University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cleveland. After graduating, dentistry degree recipients from Case Western Reserve University typically earn about $159,604 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 · 8 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.