Virginia Highlands Community College
- Graduation Rate
- 41% D+
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $32,681 D+
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $5,375 A
- 69% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 1,349
Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 31.1× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $31.1 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $31.1 over 20 years. Net gain: $648,220.
What The Data Says
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A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduate earnings fall 20% below the national college median.
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Graduation of 41% — 29% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $31.1 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
About Virginia Highlands Community College
Virginia Highlands Community College is profiled below with full outcomes data from federal sources.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 1,349
- Setting
- Suburban
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Humanities, Precision Production, Mechanic & Repair Tech
Why students choose Virginia Highlands Community College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $5,375 a year after grants and scholarships — 69% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $32,681 ten years after enrolling — 20% below the typical college.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.3% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 57% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.94 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Virginia Highlands Community College is a strong choice for students looking to dive into practical fields like Health Professions, Construction Trades, and Mechanic & Repair Technology. With around 1,349 students enrolled, the college fosters a close-knit community where individuals can explore their interests in the humanities while gaining hands-on skills that are directly applicable in the workforce. The focus here is on preparing students for real-world challenges, making it a fitting option for those who want to blend academic study with vocational training.
After graduation, students see a median earning of about $32,681 within ten years. This figure is helpful for understanding what life can look like after completing a program at Virginia Highlands. While the graduation rate is at 41%, it’s important to consider that many students are likely balancing work and family commitments alongside their studies. Affordability plays a significant role here, with a net price of approximately $5,375 after financial aid, making it accessible for a range of students.
Ultimately, Virginia Highlands Community College attracts those who appreciate practical education and the chance to gain skills that lead directly to employment. With 43% of students receiving Pell Grants, it's clear that this institution is committed to supporting those from diverse economic backgrounds. Students who thrive here often seek a balance between academic pursuits and hands-on experience, aiming for careers that offer stability and growth potential.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Virginia Highlands Community College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Virginia Highlands Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Virginia Highlands Community College, located in Abingdon, Virginia, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 41%.
- Retention Rate
- 60%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 34%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $7,931
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 17:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.23
- First-Gen Students
- 50%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Virginia Highlands Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Virginia Highlands Community College is $11,460, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $5,375. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,927 after need-based grants.
- In-State Tuition
- $5,022
- Out-of-State
- $11,460
- Avg Net Price
- $5,375
- Pell Grant Rate
- 43%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 0%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $4,927
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $5,078
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $6,189
- Family Income $110K+
- $8,843
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Virginia Highlands Community College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Virginia Highlands Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Virginia Highlands Community College report median earnings of $32,681, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $31,926
- 8 Years
- $34,356
- 10 Years
- $32,681
- Earning > $25K
- 41%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (101)
- 32%
- 100% (101)
- 32%
- 100% (101)
- 32%
- 100% (101)
- 32%
How Virginia Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Virginia Highlands Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Virginia Highlands Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $5,375/year ($21,500 total). Graduates earn $32,681 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $669,720 in total earnings — a net gain of $648,220 (31.1× your investment).. With a 41% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $21,500
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $669,720
- Net Return
- $648,220
- ROI Multiple
- 31.1×
- Cost Per Year
- $5,375
- Graduation Rate
- 41%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Virginia Highlands Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Virginia Highlands Community College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.34%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 19.3% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 6.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $54,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.34%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 6.9%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 19.3%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $73,775
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $2,493,590
- Federal Grants
- $1,666,261
- Investment Income
- $237
Top Programs
The fields Virginia Highlands Community College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Health Professions 32% $58,661 early-career
- Humanities 31%
- Precision Production 11%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 7% $29,353 early-career
- Construction Trades 5% $44,638 early-career
- Business & Marketing 4%
- Computer Science & IT 3%
- Criminal Justice 2%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Virginia Highlands Community College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Virginia Highlands Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Virginia Highlands Community College, located in Abingdon, Virginia, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 41%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Virginia Highlands Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Virginia Highlands Community College is $11,460, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $5,375. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,927 after need-based grants.
Is Virginia Highlands Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Virginia Highlands Community College report median earnings of $32,681, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Virginia Highlands Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Virginia Highlands Community College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.34%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 19.3% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 6.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $54,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Virginia Highlands Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at Virginia Highlands Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.94, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.07), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Virginia Highlands Community College.
- Edgecombe Community CollegeTarboro, NC · Close peer45% grad $33,267 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Danville Community CollegeDanville, VA · Close peer39% grad $31,664 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Rappahannock Community CollegeGlenns, VA · Close peer43% grad $36,121 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Southside Virginia Community CollegeAlberta, VA · Close peer38% grad $32,371 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Danville Area Community CollegeDanville, IL · Close peer41% grad $34,867 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Hopkinsville Community CollegeHopkinsville, KY · Close peer41% grad $36,323 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size · similar net price
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Virginia Highlands Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at Virginia Highlands Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.94, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.07), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note