Dental Assisting at Minnesota State Community and Technical College

First-year earnings of $45,942 put Minnesota State Community and Technical College's Dental Assisting program 26% above the national median of $36,429 — one of the higher-earning programs in this field.

Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 40.7x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Dental Assisting programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Dental Assisting's career paths, with 24% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 0% gap from the optimistic case.

With first-year pay of $45,942 far exceeding the $12,525 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

At #182 of 513 Dental Assisting programs, Minnesota State Community and Technical College scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

There are 4 registered apprenticeship pathways mapped to Dental Assisting, including Dental Assistant (Alternate Title: Dental Specialist) (median $47,300/yr). Apprenticeships offer an alternative route that combines paid work with structured training.