Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Wytheville Community College
VA · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.08
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services degree from Wytheville Community College earn a median salary of $56,443 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in VA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $55,066. The degree typically pays for itself in 10.4 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
$42,878
Typical Career
$56,443
Top Performers
$69,760
Estimated break-even: 10.4 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$376
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,704. Most students can comfortably afford about a $376 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x 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, Manufacturing, Educational Services.
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
$55,066
Nominal: $56,443 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 | $34,950 | $44,364 | $55,804 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $42,878 | $56,443 | $69,760 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $43,047 | $56,877 | $72,014 |
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 $56,443 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)
= $56,443 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0250)
= $55,066 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The majority of graduates enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, with 50.9% in the first year, 50.6% in the second year, and 37.1% by the fifth year. This consistent trend highlights the program's alignment with industry demand. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 10.4 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for graduates appears favorable, suggesting that pursuing this program can lead to a worthwhile career in a growing field.
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See how the Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services degree at Wytheville Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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Other Degrees at Wytheville 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.