Hospitality Administration/Management at Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach

The small sample size here demands caution, but the available data reveals a troubling pattern: graduates earning nearly $29,000 initially see their incomes drop to under $23,000 four years later. That 21% decline runs counter to normal career progression in hospitality, where managers typically advance into better-paying roles. This suggests graduates may be stepping backward in their careers or leaving the field entirely. While this program ranks in the 60th percentile among Virginia's five hospitality programs, that's partly because the state lacks strong competition in this credential.

The debt picture compounds the problem. At $26,508, borrowers here carry 54% more than the national median for associate-level hospitality programs, despite earning exactly the national median initially. That places debt levels in the 5th percentile—meaning 95% of comparable programs nationwide leave students with less to repay. For a profession where entry-level workers often start in hourly positions, carrying this much debt for what becomes a sub-$23,000 income creates genuine financial strain.

With 62% of students receiving Pell grants, many families here are betting limited resources on a credential that may not deliver the upward mobility they're seeking. The combination of declining earnings and above-average debt suggests this particular program struggles to launch graduates into stable hospitality management careers. Given these numbers, families should seriously consider whether local alternatives—including direct industry entry or programs at community colleges with lower debt loads—might preserve more financial flexibility.