2026 Best Value Orthodontics/Orthodontology Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

[Orthodontics/Orthodontology](/majors/health-care-professions/advanced-dentistry-oral-sciences/orthodontics-orthodontology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong orthodontics/orthodontology education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for orthodontics/orthodontology students.
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2026 Best Value Orthodontics/Orthodontology Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in orthodontics/orthodontology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Orthodontics/Orthodontology Schools
Columbia University In The City Of New York earned the #1 spot for value among orthodontics/orthodontology schools in the Middle Atlantic Region. Set in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $70,517. Typical student debt for orthodontics/orthodontology graduates is $23,258. Orthodontics/orthodontology graduates of Columbia University In The City Of New York earn a median of $159,944 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,258 median debt. The acceptance rate is 4%.
University At Buffalo came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value orthodontics/orthodontology schools. University At Buffalo is a very large public school located in the suburb of Buffalo. In-state tuition and fees average $10,936, with out-of-state students paying around $31,536. Orthodontics/orthodontology graduates carry a median of $22,232 in student loans. Orthodontics/orthodontology graduates of University At Buffalo earn a median of $52,403 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,232 median debt. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Students looking for strong value in orthodontics/orthodontology will find it at Rutgers University New Brunswick, which ranked #3. Rutgers University New Brunswick is a very large public school located in the city of New Brunswick. In-state tuition and fees average $17,929, with out-of-state students paying around $37,441. Orthodontics/orthodontology graduates carry a median of $25,120 in student loans. Early-career orthodontics/orthodontology graduates make about $58,402. That is a strong return on a $25,120 median debt. Rutgers University New Brunswick admits about 58% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in orthodontics/orthodontology will find it at Temple University, which ranked #4. Temple University is a very large public school located in the city of Philadelphia. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,005, while out-of-state students pay about $38,805. Orthodontics/orthodontology graduates carry a median of $26,259 in student loans. Early-career orthodontics/orthodontology graduates make about $54,642. That is a strong return on a $26,259 median debt. Temple University admits about 80% of applicants.
University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in orthodontics/orthodontology, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Pittsburgh, University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,926, with out-of-state students paying around $41,430. Typical student debt for orthodontics/orthodontology graduates is $24,958. Orthodontics/orthodontology graduates of University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus earn a median of $170,705 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,958 median debt. University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus admits about 58% of applicants.
University Of Rochester placed #6 among the best values for orthodontics/orthodontology. University Of Rochester is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Rochester. In-state tuition and fees average $67,080. Orthodontics/orthodontology graduates carry a median of $21,517 in student loans. Early-career orthodontics/orthodontology graduates make about $60,865. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 40% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Pennsylvania placed #7 among the best values for orthodontics/orthodontology. University Of Pennsylvania is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. Students from in state pay about $68,686 in tuition and fees. Orthodontics/orthodontology graduates carry a median of $16,155 in student loans. Soon after graduation, orthodontics/orthodontology degree recipients from University Of Pennsylvania generally make around $220,594. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Pennsylvania admits about 5% of applicants.
Howard University placed #8 among the best values for orthodontics/orthodontology. Located in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $35,810. Orthodontics/orthodontology graduates carry a median of $25,498 in student loans. Soon after graduation, orthodontics/orthodontology degree recipients from Howard University generally make around $58,495. That is a strong return on a $25,498 median debt. Roughly 41% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.