2026 Best Value Dentistry Schools in the Far Western Region

[Dentistry](/majors/health-care-professions/dentistry/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for dentistry students.
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2026 Best Value Dentistry Schools in the Far Western Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in dentistry, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Dentistry Schools
For return on investment in dentistry, no school beat University Of Washington Seattle Campus this year. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,973, compared with $43,209 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,481 to complete the dentistry program here. Early-career dentistry graduates make about $132,027. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 39%.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Nevada Las Vegas one of the best values for dentistry. Located in the city of Las Vegas, University Of Nevada Las Vegas is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,748, compared with $27,411 for out-of-state students. Dentistry graduates carry a median of $21,181 in student loans. Early-career dentistry graduates make about $113,164. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of California Los Angeles earned it the #3 place for dentistry. University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public school located in the city of Los Angeles. In-state tuition and fees average $14,233, with out-of-state students paying around $46,121. Typical student debt for dentistry graduates is $16,097. Early-career dentistry graduates make about $78,035. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 9%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of The Pacific earned it the #4 place for dentistry. Located in the city of Stockton, University Of The Pacific is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $57,080. Dentistry graduates carry a median of $23,514 in student loans. Soon after graduation, dentistry degree recipients from University Of The Pacific generally make around $102,531. Set against $23,514 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of The Pacific admits about 71% of applicants.
University Of Southern California is a great value for students pursuing a degree in dentistry, landing the #5 spot this year. University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $71,647. Dentistry graduates carry a median of $15,625 in student loans. Early-career dentistry graduates make about $79,887. Set against $15,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Southern California admits about 10% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.