DENTAL ASSISTANT PROGRAMS IN CALIFORNIA — Federal Data, September 2026
Dental Assistant Programs in California, Ranked On What Graduates Owe And Earn
49 accredited institutions in California report enough federal data on this program to be compared. They are ranked here on a single measure: how many months of gross pay it takes a graduate to cover the median debt.
See The RankingU.S. Department of Education data. No school paid to be listed.
Across the 49 ranked programs in California, the median graduate needs 4.6 months of gross pay to cover a median federal debt of $9,500, against median earnings of $24,473 one year after completion.
That is exactly in line with the national median of 4.6 months for this field, measured across the 398 institutions in our national dental assistant programs ranking. The best performer in the state is Southwestern College in Chula Vista, at 1.9 months.
Every figure on this page is recalculated on California institutions only. Nothing is carried over from the national page.
At A Glance
What the federal data says about dental assistant programs in California
The Ranking
49 dental assistant programs in California, ranked by months of gross pay to cover the debt
Lower is better.
| # | School | Type | Award | Months | Debt | Earnings | Completion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southwestern CollegeChula Vista, CA | Public | Associate | 1.9 | $10,500 | $67,733 | 36% |
| 2 | Career Care InstituteLancaster, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 3.3 | $7,600 | $28,017 | 71% |
| 3 | North-West College-Van NuysVan Nuys, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 3.4 | $8,782 | $31,215 | 60% |
| 4 | San Joaquin Valley College-VisaliaVisalia, CA | for-profit | Associate | 3.5 | $20,000 | $67,916 | 36% |
| 5 | San Joaquin Valley College-OntarioOntario, CA | for-profit | Associate | 3.5 | $20,000 | $67,916 | 64% |
| 6 | Unitek CollegeFremont, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 3.5 | $9,039 | $31,425 | 73% |
| 7 | Gurnick Academy of Medical ArtsSan Jose, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 3.6 | $8,737 | $28,937 | 64% |
| 8 | Pima Medical Institute-Chula VistaChula Vista, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 3.7 | $8,509 | $27,301 | 62% |
| 9 | Pima Medical Institute-San MarcosSan Marcos, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 3.7 | $8,509 | $27,301 | 71% |
| 10 | Concorde Career College-San DiegoSan Diego, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 3.8 | $9,500 | $29,687 | 76% |
| 11 | Milan Institute-VisaliaVisalia, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 3.9 | $8,919 | $27,394 | 51% |
| 12 | Carrington College-SacramentoSacramento, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 3.9 | $9,151 | $28,060 | 51% |
| 13 | Carrington College-San Leandro CampusSan Leandro, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 3.9 | $9,151 | $28,060 | 59% |
| 14 | Carrington College-San JoseSan Jose, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 3.9 | $9,151 | $28,060 | 60% |
| 15 | Carrington College-Pleasant Hill CampusPleasant Hill, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 3.9 | $9,151 | $28,060 | 59% |
| 16 | Carrington College-StocktonStockton, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 3.9 | $9,151 | $28,060 | 54% |
| 17 | Milan Institute-Palm DesertPalm Desert, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 4.0 | $8,104 | $24,473 | 48% |
| 18 | American Career College-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 4.1 | $8,444 | $24,783 | 75% |
| 19 | American Career College-AnaheimAnaheim, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 4.1 | $8,444 | $24,783 | 70% |
| 20 | San Joaquin Valley College-BakersfieldBakersfield, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 4.2 | $9,500 | $27,039 | 58% |
| 21 | San Joaquin Valley College-HesperiaHesperia, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 4.2 | $9,500 | $27,039 | 63% |
| 22 | San Joaquin Valley College-TemeculaTemecula, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 4.2 | $9,500 | $27,039 | 82% |
| 23 | Milan Institute-MercedMerced, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 4.2 | $8,919 | $25,255 | 55% |
| 24 | Concorde Career College-San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA | for-profit | Associate | 4.3 | $26,125 | $73,660 | 76% |
| 25 | American Career College-OntarioOntario, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 4.6 | $8,444 | $22,218 | 66% |
| 26 | Concorde Career College-Garden GroveGarden Grove, CA | for-profit | Associate | 4.9 | $29,176 | $72,160 | 84% |
| 27 | North-West College-PomonaPomona, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.0 | $9,500 | $23,018 | 71% |
| 28 | North-West College-RiversideRiverside, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.0 | $9,500 | $23,018 | 72% |
| 29 | North-West College-AnaheimAnaheim, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.0 | $9,500 | $23,018 | 60% |
| 30 | Concorde Career College-North HollywoodNorth Hollywood, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.1 | $9,500 | $22,428 | 78% |
| 31 | Summit CollegeSan Bernardino, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.1 | $8,405 | $19,964 | 62% |
| 32 | High Desert Medical CollegeLancaster, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.1 | $7,521 | $17,720 | 68% |
| 33 | Glendale Career CollegeGlendale, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.2 | $9,500 | $22,013 | 63% |
| 34 | North-West College-West CovinaWest Covina, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.2 | $9,500 | $21,748 | 68% |
| 35 | North-West College-GlendaleGlendale, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.2 | $9,500 | $21,748 | 63% |
| 36 | UEI College-GardenaGardena, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.2 | $9,500 | $21,979 | 60% |
| 37 | UEI College-RiversideRiverside, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.2 | $9,500 | $21,979 | 71% |
| 38 | UEI College-SacramentoSacramento, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.2 | $9,500 | $21,979 | 60% |
| 39 | UEI College-Huntington ParkHuntington Park, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.7 | $9,500 | $19,904 | 70% |
| 40 | UEI College-OntarioOntario, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.7 | $9,500 | $19,904 | 66% |
| 41 | UEI College-ResedaReseda, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.7 | $9,500 | $19,904 | 74% |
| 42 | UEI College-Chula VistaChula Vista, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.7 | $9,500 | $19,904 | 71% |
| 43 | UEI College-West CovinaWest Covina, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.7 | $9,500 | $19,904 | 67% |
| 44 | UEI College-OceansideOceanside, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.7 | $9,500 | $19,904 | 69% |
| 45 | UEI College-Garden GroveGarden Grove, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.7 | $9,500 | $19,904 | 63% |
| 46 | UEI College-StocktonStockton, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.7 | $9,500 | $19,904 | 71% |
| 47 | National Career CollegePanorama City, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 5.8 | $9,611 | $19,958 | 74% |
| 48 | UEI College-FresnoFresno, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 6.4 | $9,500 | $17,746 | 61% |
| 49 | UEI College-BakersfieldBakersfield, CA | for-profit | Certificate | 6.4 | $9,500 | $17,746 | 68% |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Cohorts by Field of Study and by Institution (published 9 June 2026). Debt is the median federal Stafford and Grad PLUS loan debt of completers in this program; earnings are median earnings one year after completion. Where a school offers the program at both certificate and associate level, the shorter payback is shown. Completion is the institution’s published rate, not the program’s.
The Top Five, In Detail
The five fastest payback programs in California, one by one
Southwestern College
Chula Vista, CA
Southwestern College is a public institution in Chula Vista. Its dental assisting graduates leave with a median federal debt of $10,500 and report median earnings of $67,733 a year after completing, so the debt is covered by 1.9 months of gross pay: the fastest payback in the state, and 2.7 months faster than the California state median of 4.6. The award measured here is an associate degree. The institution reports a 36% completion rate.
Career Care Institute
Lancaster, CA
Career Care Institute is a private for-profit institution in Lancaster. Its dental assisting graduates leave with a median federal debt of $7,600 and report median earnings of $28,017 a year after completing, so the debt is covered by 3.3 months of gross pay: the second fastest in the state, and 1.3 months faster than the California state median of 4.6. The award measured here is a certificate. The institution reports a 71% completion rate.
North-West College-Van Nuys
Van Nuys, CA
North-West College-Van Nuys is a private for-profit institution in Van Nuys. Its dental assisting graduates leave with a median federal debt of $8,782 and report median earnings of $31,215 a year after completing, so the debt is covered by 3.4 months of gross pay: the third fastest in the state, and 1.2 months faster than the California state median of 4.6. The award measured here is a certificate. The institution reports a 60% completion rate.
San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia
Visalia, CA
San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia is a private for-profit institution in Visalia. Its dental assisting graduates leave with a median federal debt of $20,000 and report median earnings of $67,916 a year after completing, so the debt is covered by 3.5 months of gross pay: fourth in the state, and 1.1 months faster than the California state median of 4.6. The award measured here is an associate degree. The institution reports a 36% completion rate.
San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario
Ontario, CA
San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario is a private for-profit institution in Ontario. Its dental assisting graduates leave with a median federal debt of $20,000 and report median earnings of $67,916 a year after completing, so the debt is covered by 3.5 months of gross pay: fifth in the state, and 1.1 months faster than the California state median of 4.6. The award measured here is an associate degree. The institution reports a 64% completion rate.
Read It Carefully
What this ranking does not measure
Absence from this page is not a verdict. The Department of Education suppresses figures for programs with small cohorts, so a small, excellent school will often have no publishable data at all. Schools that enroll no students on federal aid are outside this dataset entirely.
The measure is a ratio, not a repayment plan, and it counts federal loan debt only. Cash payments, private loans and employer sponsorship are invisible here. Local wages shape earnings as much as the school does, which is exactly why comparing inside one state, as this page does, is more informative than comparing across the country.
Other States
The same program, another state
Other Programs in California
Comparing a different trade in California
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