Program Payoff

Mountain Empire Community College

Big Stone Gap, Virginia. 41 certificate and associate programs, public. 41 of them report what graduates earn; for the rest, the figure below is what the occupation pays in Virginia.

ProgramCredentialMedian debtGraduates earnThe occupation pays
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Associate's degree $50,161 (40) $93,600
Registered Nurses
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Associate's degree $36,166 (22) $80,670
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians Associate's degree $35,600 (14) $59,180
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants Undergraduate certificate $30,771 (20) $43,200
Nursing Assistants
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services Associate's degree $20,824 (14) $46,410
Office Clerks, General
Criminal Justice and Corrections Associate's degree $20,140 (12) $43,640
Security Guards
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions Undergraduate certificate $19,508 (64) $61,330
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Associate's degree $15,964 (43) $84,060
Postsecondary Teachers, All Other
Accounting and Related Services Associate's degree not published $93,290
Accountants and Auditors
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Undergraduate certificate not published $80,670
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services Undergraduate certificate not published $47,990
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
Business Administration, Management and Operations Undergraduate certificate not published $122,080
General and Operations Managers
Business Administration, Management and Operations Associate's degree not published $122,080
General and Operations Managers
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services Undergraduate certificate not published $46,410
Office Clerks, General
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions Undergraduate certificate not published $106,880
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
Computer and Information Sciences, General Undergraduate certificate not published $136,460
Software Developers
Construction Trades, General Undergraduate certificate not published $78,640
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
Criminal Justice and Corrections Undergraduate certificate not published $43,640
Security Guards
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions Undergraduate certificate not published $46,670
Dental Assistants
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians Undergraduate certificate not published $63,450
Architectural and Civil Drafters
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians Associate's degree not published $63,450
Architectural and Civil Drafters
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians Undergraduate certificate not published $79,540
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians Associate's degree not published $79,540
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians Undergraduate certificate not published $59,730
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians Associate's degree not published $59,730
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Health and Medical Administrative Services Undergraduate certificate not published $67,170
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
Health and Medical Administrative Services Associate's degree not published $67,170
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) Undergraduate certificate not published $59,730
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Undergraduate certificate not published $34,330
Childcare Workers
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians Undergraduate certificate not published $59,180
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
Legal Support Services Undergraduate certificate not published $63,990
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Legal Support Services Associate's degree not published $63,990
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Undergraduate certificate not published $84,060
Postsecondary Teachers, All Other
Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians Undergraduate certificate not published $98,410
Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other
Natural Resources Conservation and Research Undergraduate certificate not published $80,380
Compliance Officers
Natural Resources Conservation and Research Associate's degree not published $80,380
Compliance Officers
Physical Science Technologies/Technicians Undergraduate certificate not published $67,240
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other
Precision Metal Working Undergraduate certificate not published $59,180
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
Real Estate Undergraduate certificate not published $63,980
Real Estate Sales Agents
Surveying Engineering Undergraduate certificate not published $148,160
Engineers, All Other
Visual and Performing Arts, General Undergraduate certificate not published $72,310
Graphic Designers

"Graduates earn" is the median two years after completing, from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, released 2026-06-10; the number in brackets is how many graduates it covers. A dash means the Department has not published a figure — it withholds any median computed from too few graduates — and never that the figure is zero. "The occupation pays" is the state median for the occupation the program leads to, from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, and describes everyone in that job rather than graduates of this school.