Top 50 Best Associate Degree Programs in Virginia by ROI

Every Associate Degree program in Virginia ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in Virginia

224

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$126,622

Across all Virginia programs

Average Annual Cost

$19,168

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Standard Healthcare Services-College of Nursing Grad rate: 66.8%	Bioethics/Medical Ethics.	+$1,045,107	$100,342	$40,954	$29,500	Full ROI →
2	Northern Virginia Community College Grad rate: 36.3%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$659,431	$77,964	$15,821	$20,894	Full ROI →
3	Northern Virginia Community College Grad rate: 36.3%	Engineering, General.	+$562,833	$72,365	$15,821	$9,500	Full ROI →
4	Southside College of Health Sciences	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$502,177	$68,500	N/A	$20,609	Full ROI →
5	Northern Virginia Community College Grad rate: 36.3%	Computer Science.	+$501,248	$69,522	$15,821	$13,000	Full ROI →
6	Tidewater Community College Grad rate: 28.7%	Engineering, General.	+$488,480	$68,780	$15,291	$12,250	Full ROI →
7	Fortis College-Richmond Grad rate: 35.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$466,618	$70,471	$26,643	$36,678	Full ROI →
8	Fortis College-Norfolk Grad rate: 35.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$448,022	$70,471	$35,941	$36,678	Full ROI →
9	J Sargeant Reynolds Community College Grad rate: 28.2%	Engineering, General.	+$446,087	$66,205	$11,919	$10,500	Full ROI →
10	New River Community College Grad rate: 45.3%	Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology.	+$437,837	$66,020	$13,477	$11,562	Full ROI →
11	Paul D Camp Community College Grad rate: 25.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$436,877	$66,133	$11,678	$16,612	Full ROI →
12	Eastern Virginia Career College Grad rate: 89.8%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$408,278	$66,845	$44,311	N/A	Full ROI →
13	Southside Virginia Community College Grad rate: 34.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$403,553	$64,159	$13,401	$9,500	Full ROI →
14	Piedmont Virginia Community College Grad rate: 33.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$389,380	$64,130	$12,435	$21,000	Full ROI →
15	Northern Virginia Community College Grad rate: 36.3%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$362,618	$62,620	$15,821	$13,437	Full ROI →
16	Virginia Western Community College Grad rate: 36.5%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$352,271	$61,579	$11,892	$11,500	Full ROI →
17	Laurel Ridge Community College Grad rate: 40.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$351,548	$61,843	$11,552	$16,450	Full ROI →
18	Virginia Peninsula Community College Grad rate: 32.3%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$338,490	$60,219	$12,945	N/A	Full ROI →
19	Northern Virginia Community College Grad rate: 36.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$327,548	$61,377	$15,821	$21,000	Full ROI →
20	Danville Community College Grad rate: 40.7%	Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians.	+$326,660	$59,739	$14,060	N/A	Full ROI →
21	Brightpoint Community College Grad rate: 34.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$318,674	$60,457	$11,686	$20,069	Full ROI →
22	Sentara College of Health Sciences	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$316,130	$59,224	N/A	$21,000	Full ROI →
23	Germanna Community College Grad rate: 38.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$300,590	$59,374	$12,278	$16,543	Full ROI →
24	Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach Grad rate: 27.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$266,307	$59,880	$22,769	$33,892	Full ROI →
25	Strayer University-Virginia Grad rate: 23.4%	Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management.	+$266,245	$57,214	N/A	$28,174	Full ROI →
26	Virginia Peninsula Community College Grad rate: 32.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$244,420	$56,528	$12,945	$15,000	Full ROI →
27	Virginia Western Community College Grad rate: 36.5%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$244,076	$56,203	$11,892	$12,000	Full ROI →
28	Mountain Gateway Community College Grad rate: 43.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$235,368	$55,076	$13,076	N/A	Full ROI →
29	Danville Community College Grad rate: 40.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$227,404	$55,558	$14,060	$11,582	Full ROI →
30	Tidewater Community College Grad rate: 28.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$221,049	$56,086	$15,291	$22,288	Full ROI →
31	J Sargeant Reynolds Community College Grad rate: 28.2%	Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions.	+$217,882	$54,086	$11,919	N/A	Full ROI →
32	Virginia Highlands Community College Grad rate: 42.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$213,679	$54,521	$11,985	$9,460	Full ROI →
33	Southside College of Health Sciences	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$210,216	$53,784	N/A	$18,862	Full ROI →
34	ECPI University Grad rate: 47.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$207,738	$57,578	$27,999	$35,425	Full ROI →
35	Patrick & Henry Community College Grad rate: 43.4%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$205,366	$54,529	$11,242	$16,837	Full ROI →
36	ECPI University Grad rate: 47.8%	Computer Programming.	+$198,936	$56,561	$27,999	$26,878	Full ROI →
37	Piedmont Virginia Community College Grad rate: 33.6%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$193,661	$53,793	$12,435	$12,836	Full ROI →
38	Northern Virginia Community College Grad rate: 36.3%	Accounting and Related Services.	+$189,538	$53,059	$15,821	N/A	Full ROI →
39	J Sargeant Reynolds Community College Grad rate: 28.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$189,324	$54,042	$11,919	$20,502	Full ROI →
40	Bon Secours St Mary's Hospital School of Medical Imaging	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$183,220	$51,161	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
41	Virginia Western Community College Grad rate: 36.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$178,091	$53,680	$11,892	$23,500	Full ROI →
42	Blue Ridge Community College Grad rate: 34.0%	Biological and Physical Sciences.	+$175,328	$52,894	$15,437	$8,650	Full ROI →
43	Mountain Empire Community College Grad rate: 46.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$171,296	$52,521	$14,516	$7,475	Full ROI →
44	Central Virginia Community College Grad rate: 33.9%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$165,737	$52,023	$11,638	$8,479	Full ROI →
45	Wytheville Community College Grad rate: 45.1%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$163,816	$51,386	$11,952	N/A	Full ROI →
46	Tidewater Community College Grad rate: 28.7%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$140,982	$51,424	$15,291	$12,530	Full ROI →
47	Southwest Virginia Community College Grad rate: 43.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$135,070	$50,342	$15,885	N/A	Full ROI →
48	Centra College	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$126,324	$52,844	$31,771	$20,010	Full ROI →
49	Northern Virginia Community College Grad rate: 36.3%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$125,016	$50,541	$15,821	$10,490	Full ROI →
50	Tidewater Community College Grad rate: 28.7%	Funeral Service and Mortuary Science.	+$116,878	$49,373	$15,291	N/A	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.