2 accredited schools across the Wilmington metro area trained 27 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 Wilmington that reported 15 Dental Assistant graduates in 2023–24. Annual in-district tuition (before fees): $2,432 ($8,576 out of state).
12 Dental Assistant credentials awarded in 2023–24 at this private for-profit four-year institution.
2 accredited schools in the Wilmington, NC metro area graduated 27 Dental Assistant students in 2023–24. The largest was Cape Fear Community College with 15.
Dental Assistants in the Wilmington, NC metro earn a median $51,110 a year ($24.57/hour), per BLS May 2025 data. That compares with $50,380 statewide and $48,070 nationally.
CODA-accredited certificate programs commonly take about 9 to 11 months; associate degrees take about 2 years.