Dental Support Services and Allied Professions at Greenville Technical College
SC · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.06
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Dental Support Services and Allied Professions degree from Greenville Technical College earn a median salary of $55,671 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in SC, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $58,478. The degree typically pays for itself in 10.2 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
$46,273
Typical Career
$55,671
Top Performers
$64,171
Estimated break-even: 10.2 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$371
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,639. Most students can comfortably afford about a $371 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in South Carolina buys what costs $0.95 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, Retail Trade.
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
$58,478
Nominal: $55,671 in South Carolina (COL 95.2% of national avg) · 5% higher 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 | $38,832 | $50,386 | $58,668 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $46,273 | $55,671 | $64,171 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $43,907 | $54,533 | $64,216 |
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 $55,671 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in SC, which has a cost-of-living index of 95.2% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $55,671 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9520)
= $58,478 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 sectors, with 74.3% entering this field shortly after graduation. This trend continues with 43.6% and 25.6% remaining in similar roles over time. However, the estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 52.3 years, indicating that while there is a positive return on investment, it may take considerable time to surpass the earnings of those who only hold a high school diploma. Overall, the program offers a viable career path but requires a long-term perspective on financial returns.
Compare with Another School
See how the Dental Support Services and Allied Professions degree at Greenville Technical College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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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.