Dental Support Services and Allied Professions at Front Range Community College
CO · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.06
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Dental Support Services and Allied Professions degree from Front Range Community College earn a median salary of $36,924 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CO, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $35,132. The degree typically pays for itself in 34.8 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$28,902
Typical Career
$36,924
Top Performers
$47,056
Estimated break-even: 34.8 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$246
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,077. Most students can comfortably afford about a $246 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Colorado buys what costs $1.05 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$35,132
Nominal: $36,924 in Colorado (COL 105.1% of national avg) · 4.9% lower purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $25,937 | $32,253 | $38,780 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $28,902 | $36,924 | $47,056 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $34,546 | $45,260 | $55,935 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $36,924 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in CO, which has a cost-of-living index of 105.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $36,924 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0510)
= $35,132 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The majority of graduates find employment in the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, with 60.3% entering this field immediately after graduation. This trend continues with 38.9% and 28.9% of graduates remaining in the same industry over the following years. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 34.8 years, suggesting that while the program offers a pathway into a stable industry, the return on investment may take considerable time to realize.
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Other Degrees at Front Range Community College
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.