Health and Medical Administrative Services at Centura College-Chesapeake

The earnings data here tells a surprisingly positive story despite the low national ranking. While Centura College-Chesapeake's graduates earn just $23,876 in their first year—landing them in the 5th percentile nationally—they're actually performing right at Virginia's median for this program. That gap reveals something important: Virginia's entire health administration job market pays significantly less than other states. When you compare this program to alternatives across Virginia, it performs respectably, matching the earnings of nearby Bryant & Stratton and Centura's Virginia Beach campus while offering better access than Liberty University.

The debt load of $23,000 produces a near 1:1 debt-to-earnings ratio, which means graduates can expect to owe roughly what they'll earn in their first year. For an associate's degree serving predominantly Pell-eligible students (84% of the student body), this represents a manageable if not ideal financial outcome. Earnings do grow modestly to $26,077 by year four, though that 9% bump still leaves graduates well below the $31,719 national median. Parents should understand that stronger-earning alternatives exist in Virginia—Tidewater Community College and ECPI University both produce graduates earning over $29,000—and those programs likely come with lower tuition costs. If your child is set on this field and this location, Centura-Chesapeake won't derail their finances, but exploring community college options first makes financial sense.