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Virginia Highlands Community College
Abingdon, VA 1,349 Undergrads 33.8% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$12,955
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,375
After Aid
Median Earnings
$45,129
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$5,375
Peer Midpoint: $17,333.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$45,129
Peer Midpoint: $34,461
Graduation Rate33.8%
Peer Midpoint: 68.7%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients65.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time41.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS53.8%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$524k
+$133k
+$40k
Median Cost$5k/yr
+$519k
+$128k
+$35k
Full Cost$13k/yr
+$512k
+$121k
+$28k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
∞
Median Cost$5k/yr
29
701%
Full Cost$13k/yr
32
232%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return564%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return88%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Certificates
Accounting and Related Services
CertCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$31,321
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,524
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$247k
American Sign Language
CertCIP: 1616
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,771
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services
CertCIP: 0106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
CertCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
CertCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,108
Natl Median: $53,078
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1505
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,268
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,436
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
CertCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
CertCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
CertCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,485
Natl Median: $44,906
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$17,846
Natl Median: $43,365
Lifetime Value Added
-$260k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$38,088
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,727
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Associate's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,569
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services
AssocCIP: 0106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,283
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
AssocCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,026
Natl Median: $70,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
AssocCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,236
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$38,920
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$32,007
Natl Median: $40,734
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$73,295
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k
Other Programs
Precision Metal Working
DegCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.