2026 Best Value Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Schools in Virginia
[Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-professions/respiratory-care-therapy-therapist/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for respiratory care therapy/therapist students.
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2026 Best Value Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Schools in Virginia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the respiratory care therapy/therapist degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Schools
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College earned the #1 spot for value among respiratory care therapy/therapist schools in Virginia. J Sargeant Reynolds Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Richmond. In-state tuition and fees average $5,280, compared with $11,718 for out-of-state students. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $15,843 in student loans. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $61,104. Set against $15,843 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in respiratory care therapy/therapist will find it at Central Virginia Community College, which ranked #2. Central Virginia Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Lynchburg. In-state tuition and fees average $5,157, while out-of-state students pay about $11,595. Typical student debt for respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates is $12,169. Soon after graduation, respiratory care therapy/therapist degree recipients from Central Virginia Community College generally make around $42,954. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Mountain Empire Community College earned it the #3 place for respiratory care therapy/therapist. 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. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $9,036 in student loans. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Mountain Empire Community College earn a median of $58,346 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $9,036 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in respiratory care therapy/therapist will find it at Tidewater Community College, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Norfolk, Tidewater Community College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,858, while out-of-state students pay about $12,296. Students borrow a median of $12,109 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Tidewater Community College earn a median of $52,548 early in their careers. Set against $12,109 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #5 makes Northern Virginia Community College one of the best values for respiratory care therapy/therapist. Located in the suburb of Annandale, Northern Virginia Community College is a very large public university. 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 respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates is $13,437. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Northern Virginia Community College earn a median of $74,050 early in their careers. Set against $13,437 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Blue Ridge Community College Weyers Cave landed the #6 spot for respiratory care therapy/therapist value this year. Located in the rural area of Weyers Cave, Blue Ridge Community College Weyers Cave is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,646 in tuition and fees, compared with $12,084 for out-of-state students. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $11,768 in student loans. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist 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.
Radford University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value respiratory care therapy/therapist schools. Radford University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Radford. Students from in state pay about $12,548 in tuition and fees, compared with $25,633 for out-of-state students. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $25,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, respiratory care therapy/therapist degree recipients from Radford University generally make around $83,490. That is a strong return on a $25,250 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Liberty University came in at #8 for value in respiratory care therapy/therapist this year. Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lynchburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,173. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Soon after graduation, respiratory care therapy/therapist degree recipients from Liberty University generally make around $45,877. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Liberty University admits about 99% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
