Location: Clifton Forge, VA•In-State Tuition: $4,878•Out-of-State Tuition: $10,881
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$40,984
Est. from VA median (3 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$10,490
Est. from VA median (3 programs)

Analysis

A debt load around $10,500 paired with first-year earnings in the low $40,000s creates a manageable financial picture—if these estimates hold for Mountain Gateway's actual graduates. The figures come from just three similar associate's degree programs in Virginia, so there's meaningful uncertainty about what this specific rural Appalachian program delivers. That said, the state's community college IT programs cluster fairly tightly, with even top performers like Tidewater only exceeding this estimate by about $4,000.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.26 suggests graduates could realistically pay off their loans within a few years, assuming steady employment in the field. Similar Virginia programs produce earnings slightly above the national median for tech associate's degrees, likely reflecting the state's proximity to DC-area employers and growing tech sector. The question is whether graduates from Clifton Forge—a small town in the Allegheny Highlands—connect to those opportunities as readily as students from programs near Northern Virginia or Hampton Roads.

For families weighing this investment, the fundamentals look sound on paper: modest debt, decent projected earnings, and a field with genuine demand. But with estimates based on so few programs and no direct outcomes data from Mountain Gateway itself, you're making a bet that this school's execution matches its peers. If your student plans to relocate for work after graduation, the program appears viable. If they're counting on local opportunities in a region without major tech employers, probe carefully into job placement support and alumni outcomes.

Where Mountain Gateway Community College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all computer and information sciences associates's programs nationally

Mountain Gateway Community College (estimated ±10%)Other computer and information sciences programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Compare to Similar Programs in Virginia

Computer and Information Sciences associates's programs at peer institutions in Virginia (22 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Mountain Gateway Community CollegeClifton Forge$4,878$40,984*—$10,490*—
Tidewater Community CollegeNorfolk$5,714$45,084*$44,022$11,243*0.25
Brightpoint Community CollegeChester$4,938$40,984*—$8,250*0.20
Northern Virginia Community CollegeAnnandale$5,703$39,679*$65,485$10,490*0.26
National Median—$35,760*—$14,932*0.42
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with computer and information sciences graduates

Computer and Information Systems Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming.

$171,200/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.

$140,910/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Software Developers

Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.

$131,450/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

Develop and execute software tests to identify software problems and their causes. Test system modifications to prepare for implementation. Document software and application defects using a bug tracking system and report defects to software or web developers. Create and maintain databases of known defects. May participate in software design reviews to provide input on functional requirements, operational characteristics, product designs, and schedules.

$131,450/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Computer Network Architects

Design and implement computer and information networks, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), intranets, extranets, and other data communications networks. Perform network modeling, analysis, and planning, including analysis of capacity needs for network infrastructures. May also design network and computer security measures. May research and recommend network and data communications hardware and software.

$130,390/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Telecommunications Engineering Specialists

Design or configure wired, wireless, and satellite communications systems for voice, video, and data services. Supervise installation, service, and maintenance.

$130,390/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Information Security Analysts

Plan, implement, upgrade, or monitor security measures for the protection of computer networks and information. Assess system vulnerabilities for security risks and propose and implement risk mitigation strategies. May ensure appropriate security controls are in place that will safeguard digital files and vital electronic infrastructure. May respond to computer security breaches and viruses.

$124,910/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Database Administrators

Administer, test, and implement computer databases, applying knowledge of database management systems. Coordinate changes to computer databases. Identify, investigate, and resolve database performance issues, database capacity, and database scalability. May plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard computer databases.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Database Architects

Design strategies for enterprise databases, data warehouse systems, and multidimensional networks. Set standards for database operations, programming, query processes, and security. Model, design, and construct large relational databases or data warehouses. Create and optimize data models for warehouse infrastructure and workflow. Integrate new systems with existing warehouse structure and refine system performance and functionality.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Data Warehousing Specialists

Design, model, or implement corporate data warehousing activities. Program and configure warehouses of database information and provide support to warehouse users.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Intelligence Analysts

Produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports. Devise methods for identifying data patterns and trends in available information sources.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Mountain Gateway Community College, approximately 24% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 3 similar programs in VA. Actual outcomes may vary.