Engineering at Northern Virginia Community College

Annandale, VA · Public · Associate Degree · Engineering, General

with 31,737 students enrolled in Annandale, VA.

Program Analysis

At $16,790 per year, Engineering graduates from Northern Virginia Community College earn below the $43,280 national average. Lower costs or geographic factors may offset the earnings gap.

Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 24.5x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Engineering programs nationally.

The 40% gap between optimistic and pessimistic AI scenarios is notable. With 46% of typical tasks exposed to automation, AI adoption could meaningfully shift career outcomes for Engineering graduates.

Median debt of $9,282 represents roughly 7 months of the $16,790 starting salary — a manageable burden by trade school standards.

This program is one of 6 schools offering Engineering in our dataset — a specialized trade with limited comparison points.

Five-year earnings of $83,194 show a 395% jump from the $16,790 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration in this trade.

32 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
24
Low End
32
Score
35
High End
Earnings $16,790/yr (-61% vs median)
AI-Proof Moderate (54% shielded)
Job Market Medium (27,900 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$295K
12.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
25.8x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
3 of 3
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Program Tuition (In-State)
$11,406
Out-of-state: $23,572
Median Debt at Graduation
$9,282
6.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$83,194
395% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Engineering graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Architectural and engineering managers $167,740 +3.8% 59%
Engineers, all other $117,750 +2.1% 54%
Engineering teachers, postsecondary $106,120 +8.1% 50%
Architectural and engineering managers
$167,740
+3.8% growth 59% AI-proof
Engineers, all other
$117,750
+2.1% growth 54% AI-proof
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
$106,120
+8.1% growth 50% AI-proof

Engineering Career Guide

Explore what Engineering graduates do, from entry-level roles to long-term career paths across 6 programs nationwide.

Read the full Engineering career guide →

Compare & Explore

Engineering Overview

Engineering at Other Schools

Other Majors at Northern Virginia Community College

How Does a Bachelor's Degree Compare?

Four-year programs take longer but may unlock different career trajectories. See the data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the TradeSchoolOutlook Score for Engineering at Northern Virginia Community College?
A score of 32/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Engineering. Earnings, ROI, or job market factors are pulling the score down.
Should I worry about AI if I study Engineering at Northern Virginia Community College?
AI exposure of 46% is a real factor. For Northern Virginia Community College specifically, the gap between optimistic ($294,642) and pessimistic ($175,660) decade earnings reflects that uncertainty.
Can you still earn well with Engineering from Northern Virginia Community College?
Starting salary is one data point. If Northern Virginia Community College's tuition is significantly below average, the ROI calculation can still work — lower earnings paired with lower costs can be a reasonable trade.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →