Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions at Brightpoint Community College

Brightpoint's Mental and Social Health Services program sits right at Virginia's median for starting earnings ($26,277), but manages this with notably lower debt than most in-state competitors—$17,594 versus the state median of $25,000. That $7,400 difference in borrowing matters significantly when you're entering a helping profession with modest initial pay.

The real question is the small sample size: with fewer than 30 graduates tracked, we're working with limited visibility. What we can see is encouraging four-year growth (earnings jump 45% to $38,083), though this still lags behind Reynolds Community College's graduates, who start at nearly $40,000. The program ranks in the 14th percentile nationally but 60th within Virginia—a reminder that this field simply pays less in this state than elsewhere, regardless of which school you attend.

For a student committed to mental health work in Virginia, this program offers a pragmatic entry point with manageable debt. The lower borrowing provides breathing room that matters in social services careers. Just recognize you're choosing the field's financial reality over higher-earning alternatives, and that these numbers represent a small group of graduates whose outcomes may not predict future results.