College of the Mainland Dental Hygiene Program Costs $8,686 to $9,436. Here Is How Its Graduates Do.
An AAS program in Texas City, Two years full time, five semesters (68 credit hours).
We are still collecting data for this program. This page will be listed in search once it has published outcomes and a cost or program details.
The Short Version
- Its published cost is at or below the median for Texas dental hygiene programs that publish one ($13,670).
- At 10% of the local median wage for dental hygienists, the program cost is paid back in about 0.8 years.
These lines are generated from the numbers on this page and change when the data does.
How Graduates Do
CODA requires every accredited program to publish the same outcome measures, so they can be compared program to program. 3
Graduates who passed the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, as the program publishes it. CODA does not require programs to post a standard set of outcomes, so many Texas programs publish none, and those that do differ in years and detail. Job placement: graduates employed as dental hygienists, as the program reports it.
Where the Money Goes
About half of every dollar goes to tuition and fees, 68 credits in-district. High uses the $2,000 textbook estimate, matching the packet's stated total of about $9,436. Licensure fees (about $2,004 to $2,154) and recommended loupes, memberships and review books (about $2,100 to $3,210) are extra.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, 68 credits in-district | $5,236 |
| Instrument kits, typodont and supplies | $2,200 |
| Textbooks and e-book access (low estimate) | $1,250 |
| Total 1 | $8,686 |
Not included: living costs. Application packet for the Fall 2027 cohort, updated October 2026, two-year required expenses in-district.
Jobs and Pay in the Houston Area
About 3,060 dental hygienists work in the Houston area. The middle half earn between $99,220 and $107,200 a year; new graduates usually start toward the lower end. Texas expects about 1,370 openings a year statewide through 2034, from new positions, retirements and people changing jobs, with the number of jobs growing 21.8% (from 15,550 to 18,950).
Other Dental Hygiene Programs in the Houston Area
Compare all 6 dental hygiene programs in the Houston area
| Program | NBDHE rate | Job placement | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston City College AAS, Houston | 100% | Not reported | Not published |
| College of the Mainland (this page) AAS, Texas City | Not reported | Not reported | $8,686 to $9,436 |
| Lone Star College, Kingwood AAS, Kingwood | Not reported | Not reported | $16,000 |
| Pima Medical Institute, Houston AAS, Houston | Not reported | Not reported | Not published |
| The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Dentistry BS, Houston | Not reported | Not reported | Not published |
| Wharton County Junior College AAS, Wharton | Not reported | Not reported | $11,500 to $16,063 |
Program Facts
- Credential
- AAS
- Length
- Two years full time, five semesters (68 credit hours)
- Schedule
- In person, full time
- Starts
- Fall (Fall 2027 courses begin Aug 16, 2027; apply May 3 to 14, 2027)
- Before you apply
- Composition I, A&P I, A&P II, Microbiology and Introductory Chemistry I, C or better, science within 5 years, prerequisite GPA 2.75.
- Entrance exam
- HSRT-AD (Health Science Reasoning Test), up to two attempts
- Accreditation
- CODA, Approval without reporting requirements (granted after the pre-graduation site visit, CODA Summer 2026 actions; program started Fall 2024)
- Leads to
- National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE), a clinical licensing exam and a Texas license
Sources and Dates
- College of the Mainland Dental Hygiene application packet (Fall 2027), Application packet for the Fall 2027 cohort, updated October 2026, two-year required expenses in-district.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Dental Hygienists (29-1292), May 2025 estimates.
- Commission on Dental Accreditation (American Dental Association) (CODA), checked Nov. 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Texas and metro areas (employment and wage percentiles), May 2025 estimates.
- Texas Workforce Commission, long-term occupational projections, 2024 to 2034.
Every number was checked against its source on Nov. 4, 2026. Spot an error? Report it. Program Outcomes is independent and not affiliated with any school or CODA. Our independence policy