Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions at Wytheville Community College
VA · Certificate Degree · CIP 51.15
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions degree from Wytheville Community College earn a median salary of $42,604 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in VA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $41,565. The degree typically pays for itself in 17.9 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
$32,089
Typical Career
$42,604
Top Performers
$57,189
Estimated break-even: 17.9 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$284
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,550. Most students can comfortably afford about a $284 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.1x 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, Manufacturing, Retail Trade.
Where Certificate 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
$41,565
Nominal: $42,604 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 | $29,725 | $38,945 | $51,527 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $32,089 | $42,604 | $57,189 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $34,369 | $51,429 | $71,482 |
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 $42,604 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)
= $42,604 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0250)
= $41,565 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% employed in this field one year after graduation, which remains consistent over time. The estimated break-even point for those pursuing this path compared to a high-school-only education is approximately 17.9 years. This indicates a reasonable return on investment for students, as the long-term benefits of earning a degree in this area can outweigh the initial costs associated with education.
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See how the Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions degree at Wytheville Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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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.