Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at Northern Virginia Community College

Northern Virginia Community College's IT management program delivers something rare: strong earnings with minimal debt exposure. At $54,742 in first-year earnings against just $12,500 in typical debt, graduates are looking at one of the lowest debt burdens nationally—better than 95% of similar programs. That 0.23 debt-to-earnings ratio means students could theoretically pay off their loans in just three months of gross income.

The earnings picture tells an interesting story. While this program ranks in the 86th percentile nationally (well above the $41,752 median), it sits at the 60th percentile among Virginia programs—not surprising given the state's concentration of federal contractors and tech employers. Still, $54,742 significantly outpaces both the state median of $49,028 and trails only the pricier private options like Strayer. The community college advantage is obvious: you're earning within $7,000 of Strayer graduates while carrying roughly half the debt load.

For Virginia families, particularly those within NOVA's commuting radius to federal agencies and defense contractors, this represents a textbook smart investment. The region's IT job market absorbs associate-degree holders readily, and starting your career with barely any debt changes the financial trajectory completely. This is what community college is supposed to look like when it works well.