Career Training Path › California › Diablo Valley College
Diablo Valley College
Pleasant Hill, California · Public community college · Training programs available:
Address: 321 Golf Club Rd, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 · Phone: (925) 685-1230 · School website ↗ · Verify on College Scorecard ↗
No accreditor sanctions in the last 36 months
Diablo Valley College is a public trade and career school in Pleasant Hill, California offering dental assistant, dental hygiene, and culinary programs, accredited by the ACCJC and ADA CODA.
Diablo Valley College's completion rate is 49.1%, below the state average of 64.2%; median graduate debt is $10,021 and median earnings 10 years after entry are $51,378, per the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Annual cost of attendance is not reported for this campus in federal data; Diablo Valley College participates in federal financial aid (Title IV), and about 18.3% of students receive Pell Grants.
What these trades pay once you're working
| Occupation | Starting (10th pct) | Median | Experienced (75th) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental assistants | $38,790 | $50,110 | $60,670 |
| Dental hygienists | $102,090 | $124,930 | $132,120 |
| Chefs and head cooks | $37,380 | $64,500 | $81,040 |
| Construction laborers | $40,950 | $60,270 | $78,520 |
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wages for everyone employed in the occupation in California (May 2025; national where the state figure is not published). The program table below shows what this campus's own graduates earned in their first year, whatever job they took.
Trade programs at this campus
| Program | Credential | Grads / yr | Earnings, yr 1 | Earnings, yr 2 | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | Associate degree | 18 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | Certificate, 1–2 years | 17 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | Associate degree | 13 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate, 300–899 hours | 8 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 6 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Associate degree | 5 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Certificate, 1–2 years | 3 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate, 1–2 years | 3 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Certificate, 1–2 years | 2 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Certificate, 300–899 hours | 2 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Associate degree | 1 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Associate degree | 1 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate, 1–2 years | 1 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
Earnings are median wages and self-employment income reported to the IRS (W-2 and Schedule SE) for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled, measured in the calendar year after finishing. They are pay only: health insurance, retirement contributions and other benefits are not included.
Graduates per year from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey. Earnings and debt are College Scorecard field-of-study medians for graduates of this program at this campus (reported at the 4-digit program level, so closely related programs share a figure); "not reported" means too few graduates were counted to publish a figure.
About this school
Diablo Valley College is a public community college in Pleasant Hill, California, accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges and, for its dental programs, by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation. The school participates in federal student aid (Title IV), so students can use FAFSA-based aid where eligible. Its trade and career training is concentrated in dental assistant schools, dental hygiene programs, and culinary and pastry schools, with 13 program families and about 80 recent trade completers among an undergraduate enrollment of 15,358.
Federal data show a completion rate of 49.1%, which is below the state average of 64.2%. Graduates who took out loans carried a median debt of $10,021, and median earnings ten years after entry were $51,378. Annual cost of attendance is not reported for this campus in federal data. About 18.3% of students receive Pell Grants, suggesting a meaningful share of the student body qualifies for need-based aid.
This campus setting, in a large suburb, and its mix of shorter certificate-style trade programs alongside longer associate-degree pathways may suit students weighing quick entry into fields like dental assisting or culinary work against more extensive programs like dental hygiene. Anyone considering enrollment, including adult career-changers, should verify current program lengths, licensing requirements, and costs directly with the school by phone or website, and review outcome data independently through the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard before enrolling.
Questions students ask
What trade and career programs does this campus offer?
Diablo Valley College offers 13 program families, with the largest being dental assistant schools, dental hygiene programs, and culinary and pastry schools.
Is this school accredited, and by whom?
Yes. It is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, and its dental programs are additionally accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation.
Can I use federal financial aid (FAFSA, Pell Grants) at this school?
Yes, this school participates in Title IV federal financial aid programs, so students can use FAFSA-based aid where eligible.
What share of students finish their program here, and how does that compare to the state?
The completion rate is 49.1%, which is below the California state average of 64.2%.
How much debt do graduates of this school typically carry?
Median debt among graduates who borrowed is $10,021, according to federal data.
What do graduates of this school earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entry are $51,378, per federal Scorecard data.
How much does it cost to attend for a year?
Annual cost of attendance is not reported for this campus in federal data; contact the school directly for current tuition figures.
Is this a public, non-profit, or for-profit school, and why does that matter?
Diablo Valley College is a public institution, which often means lower tuition for state residents compared to for-profit schools.
How long do the programs here take to complete?
Specific program lengths are not reported in this data; contact the school at (925) 685-1230 or visit dvc.edu to confirm program durations.
How do I verify this school's accreditation and outcomes myself?
You can confirm accreditation through the ACCJC and ADA CODA, and review federal outcome data at the College Scorecard link: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?113634.
Is this school a good fit for an adult changing careers?
The mix of shorter certificate programs, such as dental assisting, and longer associate-degree tracks, like dental hygiene, may suit career-changers seeking flexible entry points, though this is not explicitly confirmed by the data.
How do I contact the school or apply?
You can reach Diablo Valley College at (925) 685-1230 or through its website, https://www.dvc.edu/.
How does this campus compare with other schools offering the same trade nearby?
Comparative data with nearby schools is not reported in this dataset; check the College Scorecard for side-by-side comparisons.
Nearby trade and career schools in California
- Carrington College-Pleasant Hill CampusPleasant Hill, CA · 60% completion
- Paul Mitchell the School-East BayPleasant Hill, CA · 78% completion
- Unitek CollegeFremont, CA · college
- Contra Costa Medical Career CollegeAntioch, CA · 100% completion
- Carrington College-San Leandro CampusSan Leandro, CA · 59% completion
- Mt. Diablo Adult Education-Mt. Diablo USDConcord, CA · 81% completion
- College of AlamedaAlameda, CA · 33% completion
- Chabot CollegeHayward, CA · 47% completion
See all trade and career schools in California or search by ZIP code.
Data: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026. Figures are the U.S. Department of Education's official measures, not Career Training Path's opinion. Tuition, schedules and program availability change — confirm with the school before enrolling.