Compare 16 Dental Hygiene/Hygienist. programs in the Midwest. Average earnings: $54,482.
The highest-earning Dental Hygiene/Hygienist program isn't at the most prestigious school. With a $18K earnings gap across 16 programs, the data confirms: program-level factors drive outcomes more than institutional brand.
Indiana University-Indianapolis's Dental Hygiene program leads with graduates earning $64,402, well above the $54,482 average across Midwest programs. University of Missouri-Kansas City follows at $62,938, while Ohio State reaches $59,168—demonstrating that regional publics dominate this specialized field regardless of overall institutional rankings.
High earnings don't tell the whole story—debt burden matters. University of Missouri-Kansas City graduates borrow $18,750 and face just a 6.4% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. Indiana University-Indianapolis also achieves excellent student affordability at 6.6% burden, proving top programs can deliver both strong outcomes and manageable debt.
Highest program earnings: $64,402
Strong outcomes with 81% acceptance
6.4% payment burden | Excellent
13.0% family burden | Manageable
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Cohort Size | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $64,402 | 28 | $20,000 | Excellent | $17,205 | Manageable | |
| #2 | $62,938 | 29 | $18,750 | Excellent | $18,462 | Manageable | |
| #3 | $59,168 | 43 | $19,976 | Excellent | $25,868 | Challenging | |
| #4 | $59,056 | 23 | $20,105 | Excellent | $13,626 | Manageable | |
| #5 | $58,756 | 47 | $21,106 | Excellent | $13,695 | Manageable | |
| #6 | $55,944 | 26 | $19,500 | Good | $25,729 | Challenging | |
| #7 | $54,943 | 32 | $23,592 | Good | $15,000 | Manageable | |
| #8 | $54,403 | 34 | $21,500 | Good | $12,362 | Manageable | |
| #9 | $53,264 | 18 | $21,355 | Good | $12,486 | Manageable | |
| #10 | $51,853 | 37 | $19,500 | Good | $30,250 | High | |
| #11 | Wichita State UniversityPublic | $51,656 | 61 | $20,500 | Good | $14,306 | Manageable |
| #12 | $51,610 | 40 | $21,543 | Good | $19,500 | Challenging | |
| #13 | Ferris State UniversityPublic | $50,882 | 13 | $21,000 | Good | $14,849 | Challenging |
| #14 | $49,491 | 23 | $24,000 | Manageable | $16,900 | Challenging | |
| #15 | $46,733 | 19 | $21,710 | Manageable | $12,000 | Challenging | |
| #16 | University Of Detroit MercyPrivate | $46,605 | 28 | $23,250 | Manageable | $22,484 | High |
Our program rankings answer: "Which schools have the best outcomes for graduates of this specific major?"
Unlike traditional rankings that measure overall school quality, these rankings focus on program-level outcomes. A school that's #200 overall might have a top-10 nursing program — and that matters if you're studying nursing.
Data based on 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
