Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Mountain Gateway Community College
VA · Associate's Degree · CIP 24.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree from Mountain Gateway Community College earn a median salary of $39,319 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in VA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $38,360. The degree typically pays for itself in 23 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$28,474
Typical Career
$39,319
Top Performers
$51,335
Estimated break-even: 23 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$262
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,277. Most students can comfortably afford about a $262 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Virginia buys what costs $1.03 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Manufacturing.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$38,360
Nominal: $39,319 in Virginia (COL 102.5% of national avg) · 2.4% lower purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $21,077 | $27,693 | $38,923 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $28,474 | $39,319 | $51,335 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $39,622 | $50,075 | $66,062 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $39,319 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in VA, which has a cost-of-living index of 102.5% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $39,319 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0250)
= $38,360 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries that graduates enter are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, accounting for 45.7%, 34.8%, and 19.3% of employment, respectively. This concentration suggests a strong alignment with sectors that are likely to continue growing. However, the estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 23 years, indicating that while there is potential for a positive return on investment, it may take considerable time to realize significant financial benefits from this educational path.
Compare with Another School
See how the Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree at Mountain Gateway Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Ready to apply?
Start your application for Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Mountain Gateway Community College.
Explore More
Other Degrees at Mountain Gateway Community College
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.