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The Cheapest Dental Schools for Out-of-State Students
In this guide 5 sections
Most cheapest-school lists quietly rank in-state prices you cannot get. This one does the opposite: it ranks what a student with no residency advantage actually pays, using the out-of-state rate at public schools and the flat rate at private ones. If you are applying from a state with no dental school, or from one whose public school takes forty residents and nobody else, this is your table.
On the figures in this guide: dollar amounts from our cost model are estimates built from published cost-of-attendance data circa 2022, and unless a row says in-state they are out-of-state or private figures. Where we say “projected” we have grown the 2022 figure at 4% a year to 2026. Federal loan rules, interest rates and program terms are quoted as published for 2026–27 and can change; confirm anything you plan around with the school’s financial aid office and at studentaid.gov. Nothing here is financial advice.
The 20 cheapest seats for a non-resident
| # | School | 4-yr cost, no interest | With in-school interest | Projected to 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M / Baylor (out-of-state) | $277,480 | $343,312 | $401,641 |
| 2 | SIU (out-of-state) | $279,728 | $349,857 | $409,298 |
| 3 | UT San Antonio (out-of-state) | $282,136 | $350,880 | $410,495 |
| 4 | UTHealth Houston (out-of-state) | $292,402 | $365,520 | $427,622 |
| 5 | Marquette (out-of-state) | $345,300 | $437,692 | $512,056 |
| 6 | Meharry (private) | $369,285 | $465,807 | $544,948 |
| 7 | LECOM (private) | $371,433 | $467,217 | $546,597 |
| 8 | Pitt (out-of-state) | $375,194 | $473,701 | $554,183 |
| 9 | UAB (out-of-state) | $382,483 | $483,017 | $565,082 |
| 10 | Temple (out-of-state) | $395,382 | $500,845 | $585,939 |
| 11 | Stony Brook (out-of-state) | $393,608 | $500,995 | $586,114 |
| 12 | DCG / Augusta (out-of-state) | $395,291 | $501,304 | $586,476 |
| 13 | UF (out-of-state) | $397,756 | $505,158 | $590,984 |
| 14 | Iowa (out-of-state) | $396,549 | $505,206 | $591,040 |
| 15 | UNE (private) | $400,680 | $507,009 | $593,150 |
| 16 | Michigan (out-of-state) | $403,957 | $507,939 | $594,238 |
| 17 | CU (out-of-state) | $402,238 | $510,028 | $596,682 |
| 18 | Northstate (out-of-state) | $404,138 | $510,733 | $597,507 |
| 19 | Buffalo (out-of-state) | $403,465 | $513,888 | $601,198 |
| 20 | UMKC (out-of-state) | $406,458 | $514,248 | $601,619 |
The full 64-row ranking, sortable, is on the cost comparison tool.
Why Texas dominates
Texas A&M / Baylor, UT San Antonio, UTHealth Houston occupy the top of the table because Texas caps tuition at its public health-science schools well below the national norm and, unusually, extends much of that to non-residents. Texas schools do reserve most seats for residents (the state system requires it), so the seat is cheap but scarce: the out-of-state class averages on their school pages are the bar to clear. SIU in Alton, Illinois is the other outlier: a small public school with a low sticker price that admits a meaningful share of non-residents.
The cheap privates that beat most publics
Below the Texas and Illinois tier, the cheapest seats for a non-resident are a mix of public out-of-state rates and private schools whose flat price undercuts them. Meharry ($465,807), LECOM ($467,217), UNE ($507,009), Creighton ($515,675) are all private and all cheaper than the median public out-of-state seat. For an applicant without residency leverage, these schools deserve a place on the list that reflex “public is cheaper” thinking would deny them. See the cheapest private dental schools.
How a non-resident actually gets one of these seats
Every school in the top twenty admits non-residents; most admit fewer of them and hold them to a higher bar. That bar is a completed application on which, by now, only the DAT still moves. The difference between the cheapest seat here and the median one is $204,039 with interest, for the same licence. Check which schools’ class averages your score clears in the ROI calculator, then apply broadly across this table rather than deeply into the expensive half.
FAQ
What is the cheapest dental school for out-of-state students?
In our model, Texas A&M University College of Dentistry at $343,312 over four years with in-school interest, at the out-of-state rate. SIU and UT San Antonio follow.
Why are Texas dental schools so cheap for out-of-state students?
Texas sets tuition at its public health-science schools well below the national norm and extends much of that pricing to non-residents. Seats for non-residents are limited by state rules, so competition for them is intense.
Are private dental schools cheaper than out-of-state public ones?
Sometimes. Several private schools price below the median public out-of-state seat, because private schools charge everyone the same rate while many public schools charge non-residents a premium.
Can I get in-state tuition after the first year of dental school?
At most public schools, no; residency for tuition purposes is usually fixed at admission or requires establishing domicile for reasons other than education. Check each school's policy.