Dental Support Services and Allied Professions at Lane Community College
OR · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.06
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Dental Support Services and Allied Professions degree from Lane Community College earn a median salary of $67,193 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OR, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $58,787. The degree typically pays for itself in 5.9 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
$51,525
Typical Career
$67,193
Top Performers
$81,671
Estimated break-even: 5.9 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$448
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,599. Most students can comfortably afford about a $448 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.7x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.9x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Oregon buys what costs $1.14 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Retail Trade, Educational 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
$58,787
Nominal: $67,193 in Oregon (COL 114.3% of national avg) · 12.5% 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 | $47,802 | $61,526 | $76,137 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $51,525 | $67,193 | $81,671 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $58,150 | $69,841 | $80,367 |
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 $67,193 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OR, which has a cost-of-living index of 114.3% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $67,193 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1430)
= $58,787 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The majority of graduates enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, with 45.9% in the field, followed by 31.2% and 28.8% in similar roles. While the estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 36 years, the consistent demand for dental support professionals suggests a stable career outlook. Overall, the return on investment for this program may be favorable for those committed to a long-term career in health care.
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Other Degrees at Lane 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.