Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach

Starting at under $32,000, this program lands in the bottom 10th percentile both nationally and among Virginia's 13 IT administration programs—significantly below the state median of $49,000. For context, Northern Virginia Community College graduates earn 73% more in their first year, and even ECPI University's graduates start $12,000 higher. The debt load of $23,137 isn't outrageous by itself, but paired with such low starting earnings, it creates a concerning 0.73 debt-to-earnings ratio that takes nearly nine months of gross income to repay.

The 36% earnings growth to $42,861 by year four offers some redemption, but graduates are still earning less at that point than their peers from other Virginia programs earned on day one. For a field like IT administration where starting salaries typically reflect market rates and technical skills, beginning this far behind the curve suggests either curriculum gaps or employer perception issues. The institution serves a majority Pell-grant population, which adds important context, but doesn't change the math for families taking on debt.

Given the dramatically better outcomes at community colleges and even at other for-profit options in Virginia, families should seriously question whether this program justifies its cost. The post-graduation earnings trajectory simply doesn't compensate for starting nearly $20,000 behind the state median.