Health and Medical Administrative Services at Centura College-Richmond Main

Centura College-Richmond's health administration program leaves graduates earning roughly $7,800 below the national median for this credential—ranking in just the 5th percentile nationally. While that sounds alarming, there's an important twist: in Virginia's market, these earnings hit the state median exactly, placing graduates in the middle of the pack statewide. This reveals more about Virginia's below-average healthcare administrative wages than about this specific program's performance.

The real concern is affordability at this earnings level. First-year graduates make $23,876 while carrying $23,000 in debt—essentially a dollar of debt for every dollar earned. Even after four years, when earnings reach $26,077, healthcare administrative assistants at this income level face tight budgets when monthly loan payments kick in. Compare this to Virginia's community colleges offering the same credential: Tidewater grads earn $29,290 with similar debt loads, a meaningful difference of $3,200 annually that compounds over a career.

For families considering this program, the math is straightforward: you can achieve middle-of-the-pack Virginia outcomes for healthcare administrative work, but you'll start at barely above $24,000 while managing loan payments of roughly $250-300 monthly. Before committing, price out whether Tidewater or other community college alternatives offer better returns, especially if location allows that flexibility.