Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at Wytheville Community College
VA · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.38
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree from Wytheville Community College earn a median salary of $63,132 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in VA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $61,592. The degree typically pays for itself in 6.7 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
$51,780
Typical Career
$63,132
Top Performers
$76,460
Estimated break-even: 6.7 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$421
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,261. Most students can comfortably afford about a $421 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x 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
$61,592
Nominal: $63,132 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 | $50,265 | $58,867 | $68,505 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $51,780 | $63,132 | $76,460 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $57,908 | $70,452 | $86,698 |
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 $63,132 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)
= $63,132 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0250)
= $61,592 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
Graduates predominantly enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sectors, with 50.9% employed in this field one year after graduation, and similar percentages observed at the five and ten-year marks. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 19 years, suggesting that while the initial investment in education may take time to recoup, the long-term benefits in terms of career stability and earnings potential in a growing industry can be significant. Overall, the return on investment for pursuing a nursing career at Wytheville Community College appears favorable, particularly given the strong demand for healthcare professionals.
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See how the Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research 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.