Dental Assisting at Fortis College-Orange Park

Starting salaries of $28,321/yr fall 22% below the $36,429 national median for Dental Assisting. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.

Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 22.3x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Dental Assisting programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Dental Assisting's career paths, with 24% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 8% gap from the optimistic case.

At $13,000 in median debt against $28,321 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance quickly — a hallmark of affordable trade programs.

Ranked #344 of 513 Dental Assisting programs, Fortis College-Orange Park falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $31,663 are relatively flat compared to the $28,321 starting salary — typical of trades with stable but capped salary bands.

There are 4 registered apprenticeship pathways mapped to Dental Assisting, including Dental Assistant (Alternate Title: Dental Specialist) (median $47,300/yr). Apprenticeships offer an alternative route that combines paid work with structured training.