Dental Servicesat Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Graduates earn $53,559/yr in their first year — about 12.0% below the national Dental Services average. Base-case 10-year earnings $536K; scenarios range from $504K to $537K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's Dental Services program produces graduates earning $53,559/yr — within striking distance of the $60,938 national average for this field.
The 10.1x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 24% task exposure — and the 6% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $21,500 in median debt clears quickly against $53,559 in annual earnings.
At #48 out of 74 programs, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's financial outcomes for Dental Services trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
Earnings growth is modest: $53,559 to $57,061 over five years (7% gain). This field may have a lower salary ceiling than high-growth professions.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Dental Services
How Southern Illinois University-Carbondale stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Dental Services offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Dental Services trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Dental Services at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
How does Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's Dental Services program score?
A score of 55/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Southern Illinois University-Carbondale trails the majority of Dental Services programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.