ROI Major

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies at J Sargeant Reynolds Community College

VA · Associate's Degree · CIP 15.03

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies degree from J Sargeant Reynolds Community College earn a median salary of $60,590 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in VA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $59,112. The degree typically pays for itself in 6.5 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$40,067

Typical Career

$60,590

Top Performers

$85,664

Estimated break-even: 6.5 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$404

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,049. Most students can comfortably afford about a $404 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Virginia buys what costs $1.03 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Retail Trade.

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 33.2%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 8.4%
Retail Trade 7.8%

Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$59,112

Nominal: $60,590 in Virginia (COL 102.5% of national avg) · 2.4% lower purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

6.5 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $44,173 $63,170 $77,146
5 Years After Graduation $40,067 $60,590 $85,664
10 Years After Graduation $61,703 $75,634 $111,872

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $60,590 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in VA, which has a cost-of-living index of 102.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $60,590 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0250) = $59,112 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates of the Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies program at J Sargeant Reynolds Community College can expect a promising earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $63,170, which increases to $75,634 a decade later. However, it is noteworthy that median earnings five years post-graduation drop to $60,590, indicating a potential fluctuation in income. Additionally, when adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent is approximately $59,112.2, reflecting the cost of living in Virginia, which is slightly higher than the national average.

The primary industries that graduates enter are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, with percentages of 42.9%, 36.5%, and 33.2% across different roles. This concentration suggests a strong alignment between the program and the demands of the health sector. Considering the estimated break-even point of approximately 6.5 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree appears favorable, particularly for those entering high-demand fields.

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See how the Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies degree at J Sargeant Reynolds Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.