3 accredited schools across the St. Louis metro area trained 62 dental assistants in 2023–24. Here’s how they compare on cost, length and size, plus what the job pays locally.
Updated October 2026 · Data: IPEDS 2023–24, BLS May 2025
Sorted by number of 2023–24 graduates (IPEDS), a proxy for program size and stability.
Public two-year college in Godfrey that reported 25 Dental Assistant graduates in 2023–24, the 4th-most in the state. Annual in-district tuition (before fees): $3,000 ($12,000 out of state).
Public two-year college in Centralia that reported 20 Dental Assistant graduates in 2023–24. Annual in-district tuition (before fees): $4,080 ($11,850 out of state).
17 Dental Assistant credentials awarded in 2023–24 at this private for-profit two-year college, the 4th-most in the state. Published tuition and fees plus books and supplies come to $15,008 for a program of about 8 months.
3 accredited schools in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area graduated 62 Dental Assistant students in 2023–24. The largest was Lewis and Clark Community College with 25.
Among schools that published a program price, Midwest Institute in Earth City listed the lowest total: $15,008 for tuition, books and supplies.
Dental Assistants in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro earn a median $48,120 a year ($23.13/hour), per BLS May 2025 data. That compares with $45,970 statewide and $48,070 nationally.
CODA-accredited certificate programs commonly take about 9 to 11 months; associate degrees take about 2 years.