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Private nonprofit · 4-year

Virginia Union University

Richmond, Virginia

24
F
DR Rating
DegreeReturn Rating — Poor value

A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.

Poor return
$-83,948 over 10 years

Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.

On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.

Never
Break-even
-132%
10-year ROI
$42,956
Median earnings as of 2024
60% of Virginia Union University students earn more than a typical U.S. high-school graduate (about $28,000/yr) ten years after starting — measured from IRS tax records, not surveys.

The numbers behind the verdict

$13,235
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$42,956
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$25,959
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$29,000
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
34%
Graduation rate as of 2024
60%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
38%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
67%
Retention rate as of 2024

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.

$-83,948
After 10 years
$-104,388
After 20 years
$-124,828
After 30 years
$-145,268
After 40 years

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.

By gender
Women
$38,286
Men
$38,278

Essentially no gap — the payoff is even

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$34,181
From higher-income families
$44,413

23% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$38,288
Independent students
$36,376

5% gap between the two groups

41%
First-generation students
71%
Take federal student loans
86%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 1%Hispanic 1%Asian 0%Black 75%Other 22%

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 incomeAverage net price / yr
Family income $0–$30k$11,424
$30k–$48k$12,372
$48k–$75k$14,420
$75k–$110k$21,362
$110k+$18,301

How Virginia Union 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 Union University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.

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Best-paying majors at Virginia Union 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.

MajorCredentialEarnings (5 yr)Median debt10-yr ROIVerdict
Theological and Ministerial StudiesDoctoral$50,255-1%Poor return
CriminologyAssociate's$48,498$30,200-7%Poor return
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralAssociate's$47,180$26,505-40%Poor return
Biology, GeneralAssociate's$43,899$31,000-129%Poor return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's$42,012$28,749-181%Poor return
Accounting and Related ServicesAssociate's$40,450-272%Poor return
Psychology, GeneralAssociate's$36,236$27,000-341%Poor return
Communication and Media StudiesAssociate's$31,507$29,400-463%Poor return

Calculate your own ROI

Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.

ROI at Virginia Union University

Or pick your to set cost

Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.

10-yr net gain
Break-even
10-yr ROI

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Admissions & profile

98%
Admission rate
850
Average SAT
16
Median ACT
1,203
Undergraduates

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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