Is UVA Worth It? The ROI Data on University of Virginia (2026)

The University of Virginia charges $21,803 per year in tuition for Virginia residents and $59,512 for everyone else. That $37,709 annual gap — $150,836 over four years — is the central fact of the UVA value analysis. Everything else flows from it.

For in-state students, UVA is among the best financial bets in American higher education: near-Ivy academic outcomes at flagship-public price, a 95.6% completion rate that is the highest among major public flagships, and median 10-year earnings of $86,863 with a 4.4-year payback. For out-of-state students, the cost approaches private-school territory, and the calculus becomes major-dependent in a way it is not for Virginia residents.

This post covers the full data for UVA's main campus in Charlottesville. UVA Wise — the smaller campus in southwestern Virginia — is a separate institution with different ROI characteristics and is not part of this analysis.

The UVA CampusROI profile shows every program's debt-to-earnings grade and earnings figures.

UVA by the Numbers

The 95.6% completion rate is the number that stands out on a national basis. Almost every student who enrolls at UVA graduates. At schools where completion rates are 70-80%, a share of the student body takes on debt without earning the credential — a drag on the school's overall ROI that UVA simply does not have. That number has real financial value.

The Residency Split: Where the Analysis Really Lives

The in-state vs. out-of-state cost difference is not marginal at UVA — it is structural.

In-state (Virginia residents): - Tuition: $21,803/year - Estimated total 4-year cost with room, board, and fees: approximately $86,000–$90,000 - Net price after average aid: $21,565/year - Payback period at median earnings: 4.4 years

Out-of-state: - Tuition: $59,512/year - Estimated total 4-year cost with room, board, and fees: approximately $230,000–$250,000 - No equivalent to Virginia's AccessUVA need-based program for non-Virginia residents - At that cost level, major selection becomes the dominant ROI variable

For Virginia residents at any income level, UVA's value case is essentially unambiguous in high-earning programs. For out-of-state students paying close to full freight, the ROI depends heavily on whether you are in McIntire, engineering, or CS — or whether you are in a program where comparable private universities would offer significant merit aid that closes the cost gap.

The Cost Reality

Net price after aid, by income bracket:

These net prices reflect the average across Virginia and non-Virginia students who received aid. Virginia residents who qualify for AccessUVA — the university's need-based program — receive packages with grants covering 100% of demonstrated need, without loans. Low-income Virginia families who gain admission should expect net prices well below the $8,174 bracket average.

High-income Virginia families pay roughly $35,402/year at average — approximately $142,000 over four years. That is less than half what comparable private universities charge at sticker, and UVA's outcomes are competitive with those institutions in most programs.

What Graduates Earn — By Major

UVA's school-wide median ($56,800 at six years, $86,863 at ten years) is pulled by a wide distribution of program earnings. The top programs:

Source: College Scorecard, data vintage 2024–2025.

And the programs where the ROI math becomes more complicated:

The biology D grade at UVA — similar to what appears at other flagship research universities — reflects graduate-school routing rather than program failure; many UVA biology graduates are in medical or PhD programs at the one-year mark. But the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.834 is the Scorecard's honest calculation at the data point it measures.

The McIntire Commerce Caveat

The Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods program (406 graduates, $93,565 at year one, $139,095 at year four, ROI grade A) is UVA's highest-volume, high-earning program and is the heart of the McIntire School of Commerce. McIntire consistently places graduates into investment banking, consulting, and financial services via on-campus recruiting that competes with any business school in the country.

However, McIntire is not open to all UVA students. Commerce-intending students apply to McIntire during sophomore year, after completing prerequisite coursework. Admission is competitive and not guaranteed. Students who apply to UVA with the assumption that a commerce-focused path is assured should investigate the internal transfer process carefully before treating McIntire earnings as their personal baseline. The economics major — which admits students without a selective internal process — posts $74,958 at year one and $110,773 at four years (B+ grade), and serves as the finance-adjacent alternative for students who do not gain McIntire entry.

Graduate Earnings Trajectory

UVA's 10-year median of $86,863 sits in the upper tier of flagship public universities:

Georgia Tech's $102,772 reflects its near-exclusive engineering and CS focus — a different school type producing different earnings. UVA's broader academic scope produces lower median earnings, but a more complete range of program options. The comparison with Georgia Tech's public-flagship ROI story is instructive: Tech wins on pure engineering economics; UVA wins on breadth.

For UNC comparison context specifically, our best college value in North Carolina post covers UNC Chapel Hill at $11,655 net price and ROI 94 — UNC's in-state advantage over UVA is significant ($11,655 vs. $21,565 average net price) and North Carolina residents should model that gap explicitly. UVA's McIntire recruiting infrastructure is a genuine differentiator at the program level.

Peer Comparison

UVA's most relevant comparisons:

UNC Chapel Hill — ROI 94, $11,655 net price, $72,200 median 10-year earnings. For Virginia residents choosing between UVA and UNC, the cost difference is small and the outcomes are comparable. For Virginia residents who don't pay out-of-state at UNC, UVA usually wins on program access and McIntire. For North Carolina residents, UNC is the obvious answer.

Georgia Tech — ROI 97, $12,116 net price, $102,772 median 10-year earnings. Tech wins on engineering and CS economics, with the fastest payback period of any flagship we track (2.8 years). The schools serve different academic purposes — UVA has meaningful humanities, social sciences, and commerce programs that GT does not.

University of Michigan — ROI 95, $13,138 net price, $83,648 median 10-year earnings. Michigan and UVA are close peers in ROI and outcomes. Michigan's out-of-state tuition ($60,946) is even higher than UVA's ($59,512). For students admitted to both, the choice is primarily about fit and specific programs.

The Verdict

UVA scores 95/100 — Exceptional Value. The score holds most clearly for Virginia residents and for students in UVA's high-earning programs regardless of residency.

UVA is worth it if: - You are a Virginia resident. At $21,803 in tuition and strong outcomes across most programs, UVA is one of the best financial options available at any school type. - You are targeting McIntire commerce, CS, engineering, nursing, or economics. Year-one earnings from $74,000 to $118,000 across these programs justify the cost even at out-of-state rates in most cases — though you should model the full four-year cost explicitly. - You are a lower-income Virginia family who qualifies for AccessUVA. Grant-based packages covering full demonstrated need make UVA genuinely affordable. - You want a flagship research university experience with 95.6% completion and a strong alumni network concentrated in the DC–Northern Virginia corridor.

Think harder if: - You are an out-of-state student targeting humanities, lower-earning social sciences, or programs without a strong UVA-specific recruiting advantage. At $59,512 in tuition, you are paying private-university prices and should compare carefully against private alternatives with merit aid or public flagships in your home state. - You are planning on a commerce track and assuming McIntire access. Verify the competitive internal process before counting on those earnings. - You are a North Carolina resident and UNC Chapel Hill is a realistic option. The $72,200 UNC 10-year median at $11,655 average net price is a compelling alternative for most programs.

All data from College Scorecard, data vintage 2024–2025. Net prices are averages — individual aid packages vary. Out-of-state cost estimates are approximate and include room, board, and fees beyond tuition.