by our College Data Analytics Team
[Dentistry](/majors/health-care-professions/dentistry/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value dentistry schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in dentistry, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in dentistry, no school beat University Of Missouri Kansas City this year. University Of Missouri Kansas City is a large public school located in the city of Kansas City. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,371, while out-of-state students pay about $32,271. Typical student debt for dentistry graduates is $23,741. Early-career dentistry graduates make about $138,806. Set against $23,741 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 72%.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Minnesota Twin Cities one of the best values for dentistry. Set in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,214, compared with $38,362 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for dentistry graduates is $21,577. Early-career dentistry graduates make about $140,452. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities admits about 80% of applicants.
University Of Iowa came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value dentistry schools. Set in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,283, while out-of-state students pay about $33,371. Typical student debt for dentistry graduates is $24,463. Soon after graduation, dentistry degree recipients from University Of Iowa generally make around $138,670. Set against $24,463 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Creighton University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value dentistry schools. Set in the city of Omaha, Creighton University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $48,856. Dentistry graduates carry a median of $25,831 in student loans. Early-career dentistry graduates make about $135,420. Set against $25,831 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Creighton University admits about 80% of applicants.
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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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.