2026 Best Value Child Care Provider/Assistant Schools in Virginia
[Child Care Provider/Assistant](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/human-development-family-studies/child-care-provider-assistant/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 21 schools to find the best return on investment for child care provider/assistant students.
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2026 Best Value Child Care Provider/Assistant Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in child care provider/assistant, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Child Care Provider/Assistant Schools
Leading the list is J Sargeant Reynolds Community College, our #1 best value for child care provider/assistant in Virginia. J Sargeant Reynolds Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Richmond. Students from in state pay about $5,280 in tuition and fees, compared with $11,718 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for child care provider/assistant graduates is $16,131. Early-career child care provider/assistant graduates make about $36,965. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Patrick Henry Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in child care provider/assistant, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Martinsville, Patrick Henry Community College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,002, compared with $11,440 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,235 to complete the child care provider/assistant program here. Early-career child care provider/assistant graduates make about $16,790. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Eastern Shore Community College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value child care provider/assistant schools. Located in the rural area of Melfa, Eastern Shore Community College is a small public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,082, compared with $11,520 for out-of-state students. Graduates go on to earn a median of $32,418 ten years after entry.
A rank of #4 makes Central Virginia Community College one of the best values for child care provider/assistant. Located in the city of Lynchburg, Central Virginia Community College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,157, with out-of-state students paying around $11,595. Typical student debt for child care provider/assistant graduates is $10,384. Early-career child care provider/assistant graduates make about $32,309. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at John Tyler Community College earned it the #5 place for child care provider/assistant. John Tyler Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Chester. Students from in state pay about $5,082 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $11,520. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates carry a median of $11,262 in student loans. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates of John Tyler Community College earn a median of $36,623 early in their careers. Set against $11,262 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Lord Fairfax Community College came in at #6 for value in child care provider/assistant this year. Lord Fairfax Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Middletown. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,072, while out-of-state students pay about $11,510. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates carry a median of $10,698 in student loans. Soon after graduation, child care provider/assistant degree recipients from Lord Fairfax Community College generally make around $37,531. Set against $10,698 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Virginia Western Community College earned the #7 position for value in child care provider/assistant this year. Located in the city of Roanoke, Virginia Western Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,400 in tuition and fees, compared with $11,838 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $13,715 to complete the child care provider/assistant program here. Soon after graduation, child care provider/assistant degree recipients from Virginia Western Community College generally make around $21,057. That is a strong return on a $13,715 median debt.
Paul D Camp Community College landed the #8 spot for child care provider/assistant value this year. Set in the town of Franklin, Paul D Camp Community College is a small public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,012, with out-of-state students paying around $11,450. Typical student debt for child care provider/assistant graduates is $11,074. Early-career child care provider/assistant graduates make about $40,070. Set against $11,074 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
New River Community College landed the #9 spot for child care provider/assistant value this year. Set in the town of Dublin, New River Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,979, with out-of-state students paying around $11,417. Typical student debt for child care provider/assistant graduates is $13,132. Soon after graduation, child care provider/assistant degree recipients from New River Community College generally make around $46,892. That is a strong return on a $13,132 median debt.
Germanna Community College earned the #10 position for value in child care provider/assistant this year. Set in the rural area of Locust Grove, Germanna Community College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,257, compared with $11,648 for out-of-state students. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates carry a median of $10,999 in student loans. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates of Germanna Community College earn a median of $41,880 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Thomas Nelson Community College ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value child care provider/assistant schools. Located in the suburb of Hampton, Thomas Nelson Community College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,088, while out-of-state students pay about $11,526. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates carry a median of $14,402 in student loans. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates of Thomas Nelson Community College earn a median of $36,758 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,402 median debt.
Danville Community College came in at #12 for value in child care provider/assistant this year. Set in the town of Danville, Danville Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,992, with out-of-state students paying around $11,430. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates carry a median of $9,494 in student loans. Early-career child care provider/assistant graduates make about $44,922. That is a strong return on a $9,494 median debt.
Mountain Empire Community College landed the #13 spot for child care provider/assistant value this year. Set in the town of Big Stone Gap, Mountain Empire Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,007 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $11,445. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates carry a median of $9,036 in student loans. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates of Mountain Empire Community College earn a median of $36,988 early in their careers. Set against $9,036 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Tidewater Community College placed #14 among the best values for child care provider/assistant. Tidewater Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Norfolk. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,858, while out-of-state students pay about $12,296. Students borrow a median of $13,638 to complete the child care provider/assistant program here. Early-career child care provider/assistant graduates make about $22,564. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Northern Virginia Community College came in at #15 for value in child care provider/assistant this year. Set in the suburb of Annandale, Northern Virginia Community College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,891, with out-of-state students paying around $12,410. Typical student debt for child care provider/assistant graduates is $16,342. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates of Northern Virginia Community College earn a median of $25,890 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,342 median debt.
Blue Ridge Community College Weyers Cave placed #16 among the best values for child care provider/assistant. Located in the rural area of Weyers Cave, Blue Ridge Community College Weyers Cave is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,646, compared with $12,084 for out-of-state students. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates carry a median of $11,768 in student loans. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates of Blue Ridge Community College Weyers Cave earn a median of $40,020 early in their careers. Set against $11,768 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Southwest Virginia Community College landed the #17 spot for child care provider/assistant value this year. Southwest Virginia Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Cedar Bluff. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,075, while out-of-state students pay about $11,513. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates carry a median of $5,500 in student loans. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates of Southwest Virginia Community College earn a median of $19,582 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 21 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
