Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, Virginia
A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.
Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
The numbers behind the verdict
Lifetime ROI: the long view
Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.
Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.
Equity & access
Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.
9% gap between the two groups
3% gap between the two groups
13% gap between the two groups
Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.
Net price by family income
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.
| Family income | Average net price / yr |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30k | $17,512 |
| $30k–$48k | $17,777 |
| $48k–$75k | $20,925 |
| $75k–$110k | $24,691 |
| $110k+ | $32,739 |
How Virginia Commonwealth University compares
This college against the Virginia and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.
Graduate earnings over time
Median earnings of Virginia Commonwealth University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at Virginia Commonwealth University
Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.
| Major | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | Certificate | $287,357 | — | +2,486% | Strong return |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's | $214,278 | $102,262 | +1,912% | Strong return |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Associate's | $117,373 | $19,933 | +1,237% | Strong return |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's | $110,326 | $27,834 | +1,046% | Strong return |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Associate's | $99,480 | $22,550 | +889% | Strong return |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | Certificate | $74,599 | $23,250 | +828% | Strong return |
| Information Science/Studies | Certificate | $125,277 | — | +757% | Strong return |
| Chemical Engineering | Associate's | $91,990 | $27,000 | +729% | Strong return |
| Mechanical Engineering | Associate's | $87,500 | $22,220 | +673% | Strong return |
| Information Science/Studies | Associate's | $86,853 | $21,500 | +665% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Certificate | $127,587 | $41,000 | +660% | Strong return |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Associate's | $86,488 | $21,591 | +658% | Strong return |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Certificate | $124,642 | $37,750 | +641% | Strong return |
| Medicine | Doctoral | $166,894 | $202,416 | +628% | Strong return |
| Business/Commerce, General | Certificate | $123,969 | $54,332 | +596% | Strong return |
| Business/Managerial Economics | Associate's | $81,935 | $18,000 | +591% | Strong return |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Certificate | $120,156 | $51,250 | +569% | Strong return |
| Dentistry | Doctoral | $171,547 | $273,400 | +555% | Strong return |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | Doctoral | $139,694 | $141,047 | +553% | Strong return |
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other | Certificate | $99,382 | — | +480% | Strong return |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Associate's | $76,242 | $22,250 | +468% | Strong return |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | Associate's | $75,427 | $22,341 | +453% | Strong return |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | Associate's | $71,425 | $19,849 | +389% | Strong return |
| Accounting and Related Services | Associate's | $71,783 | $23,500 | +383% | Strong return |
| Business/Commerce, General | Associate's | $70,969 | $21,298 | +375% | Strong return |
Calculate your own ROI
Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.
ROI at Virginia Commonwealth University
Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.
Admissions & profile
Location
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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