University of the Virgin Islands
Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands · Public · 99.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 22/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of the Virgin Islands scores 22 and lands in the Below Benchmark tier. The headline problem is a 28.2% completion rate (sub-score 9) combined with a 46.1-year payback period (sub-score 12) - meaning the typical entering student does not graduate, and those who do see their earnings premium pay back the cost of attendance only after four-plus decades. Average earnings six years after entry are $27,000, climbing to a median $38,681 by year ten, producing a 12.3% earnings premium (sub-score 22). Cost is genuinely low: in-state tuition is $5,957, net price is $7,469, and total four-year cost is just $29,876. Median debt is $16,800 with a 0.622 debt-to-earnings ratio (sub-score 46). The 59.3% three-year repayment rate (sub-score 17) is weak and indicates many graduates default or enter forbearance. UVI is essentially serving the right mission for the territory at the right price, but the combination of weak completion and a depressed local labor market produces a poor ROI score that is largely structural rather than school-specific.
How University of the Virgin Islands scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score22/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate28.2% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period46.1 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
University of the Virgin Islands
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $5,957/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $16,557/yr |
| Average net price | $7,469/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $29,876 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $38,681 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $27,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $16,800 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $178 |
| Estimated payback period | 46.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 28.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,518 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $5,957/year ($16,557/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $7,469/year, or roughly $29,876 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $6,578/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $11,863/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $16,800, which works out to about $178 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($27,000) and comes to 0.62, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $6,578 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $5,968 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $8,551 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $11,160 |
| $110,001+ | $11,863 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $6,578 net per year ($26,312 over four years). With 49% Pell enrollment and tuition at $5,957, this is essentially Pell-covered for most students. The brackets show a mild inversion: $30,001-48,000 pays $5,968, less than the bottom bracket - likely a small-sample artifact rather than intentional pricing.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-110,000) pay $8,551-$11,160 net per year (about $34,000-$45,000 over four years). The cost is still low by any mainland standard.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $11,863 per year ($47,452 over four years). This is the highest bracket but still very cheap.
Earnings by Major
Top 4 most popular majors at University of the Virgin Islands with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $46,775 | C+ |
| Registered Nursing | $94,239 | A |
| Accounting | $51,737 | B |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $58,403 | D |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is the standout: 26 graduates with $78,365 first-year earnings, $94,239 by year four, $17,974 of debt, and a 0.229 debt-to-earnings ratio for an A grade. The first-year earnings number is unusually strong for a US territory, suggesting many graduates immediately license stateside or work for federal/military health facilities. This single program is the school's strongest value case.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is the largest program at 27 graduates with $33,990 first-year earnings and $46,775 by year four. Debt of $15,462 and debt-to-earnings of 0.455 yield a C+ grade. The four-year jump shows real labor-market traction.
Accounting
Accounting graduates 15 students with $51,737 four-year earnings, $20,783 of debt, and a 0.402 debt-to-earnings ratio for a B grade. First-year earnings are not reported. This is a solid pipeline into territorial CPA and federal accounting roles, with reasonable debt against decent mid-career earnings.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 15 students earning $36,846 in year one and $58,403 by year four. Debt is $26,980 and debt-to-earnings is 0.732 for a D grade. Strong four-year growth suggests federal law enforcement placement, but the heavy debt load relative to first-year earnings produces a weak grade.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 52.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 59.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 43.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 56.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of the Virgin Islands’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 99.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 360-480 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 423-550 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 19-22 |
| Enrollment | 1,518 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 48.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,379 |
UVI admits 99.0% of applicants - effectively open admission. SAT mid-ranges are 360-480 (math) and 423-550 (reading) and ACT composite mid-range is 19-22. The 28% completion rate is consistent with admitting many students who need significant academic support and operating without the resources to provide it at scale.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of the Virgin Islands (this school) | 22 | $7,469 | $38,681 |
| Delta State University | 29 | $13,540 | $41,991 |
| The University of Montana-Western | 27 | $16,558 | $43,229 |
| West Liberty University | 27 | $15,366 | $43,296 |
| Henderson State University | 25 | $23,405 | $43,459 |
| The Evergreen State College | 22 | $24,319 | $45,320 |
Who Thrives Here
Enrollment is 1,518 with a 48.7% Pell rate - a high-need student body serving the US Virgin Islands. UVI works for territorial students entering its strong RN program (clearly the standout) and for accounting and business students planning to remain locally. Outcomes for students who plan to relocate stateside for work would be meaningfully better than the file suggests, since UVI nursing licensure transfers and stateside wages would dramatically improve the ROI math.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, University of the Virgin Islands scores 22/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $7,469 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $38,681 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 46.1 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 28.2% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 59.3% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $16,800 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $27,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
University of the Virgin Islands: Common Questions
Is University of the Virgin Islands worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. University of the Virgin Islands scores 22/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $7,469 a year after aid against $38,681 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 46.1 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does University of the Virgin Islands cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $7,469 a year, or roughly $29,876 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do University of the Virgin Islands graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $38,681 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off University of the Virgin Islands?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 46.1 years for University of the Virgin Islands. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of the Virgin Islands graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $16,800, against average earnings of $27,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at University of the Virgin Islands?
The six-year graduation rate is 28.2%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.