Dental school costs
How much does dental school cost? Four-year cost by school
Dental school is one of the most expensive degrees in the country, and the price varies a lot by school and by whether you are a state resident. This table adds up each school's own published budget for four years so you can compare, with the year and source for every figure.
Last updated October 2, 2026
- Schools with a published budget
- 49
- Lowest four-year total
- $215,954
- Median
- $445,588
- Highest four-year total
- $711,407
Totals are for in-state or single-rate students.
Four-year cost by school
Dental schools without a figure here do not publish a full year-by-year cost of attendance we could verify, or publish tuition only. Open any school's page to build your own budget.
How to read these numbers
- Each total is the sum of the school's published yearly budgets for years 1 to 4 (D1 to D4). Most include tuition, fees, books and instruments, and a living allowance, which is why they are higher than tuition alone.
- Schools publish budgets for different years and with different assumptions. Some use off-campus housing, some leave out summer terms or health insurance, and a few years are projections. Read the note on each school's page before you compare two schools.
- A budget for one year is not a guaranteed four-year price. Tuition usually rises, so treat these totals as a starting point and check the school's current page.
Common questions
- How much does dental school cost in total?
- At the schools in this table, published four-year budgets range from well under $300,000 at some public schools for state residents to well over $600,000 at the most expensive private schools. The exact range, and each school's figure, are in the table above.
- Why is out-of-state dental school more expensive?
- Public dental schools charge non-residents a much higher tuition rate, often by $30,000 to $50,000 a year. Many private schools charge one rate to everyone, which is why they show a single total.
- Do these costs include living expenses?
- Most of the budgets include the school's own living allowance for housing, food and transportation, because that is part of what you borrow. Some schools publish tuition and fees only; those are not shown in this table.
- Can federal loans cover the whole cost?
- No. Since July 1, 2026, new professional students can borrow at most $50,000 a year and $200,000 for the program in federal loans, and Grad PLUS has ended. The rest has to come from scholarships, savings, family or private loans. See our FAFSA checklist and loan planner.
- How do I find the cheapest dental school for me?
- Compare your in-state public school first, then look at total cost after scholarships, not the sticker price. Open a school's page here to adjust its budget and see your funding gap.