University of Virginia-Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia · Public · 16.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 95/100 · Exceptional Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
UVA scores a 95 (Exceptional Value), the top tier under our methodology, as a flagship public research university in Charlottesville, VA with 17,597 undergraduates. The metrics: 4.4-year payback period, $56,800 average 6-year earnings (median $86,863 at 10 years), 95.6% completion rate, and median debt of $17,500. The in-state/out-of-state split shapes the value story: Virginia residents pay $21,803 in tuition; out-of-state students pay $59,512 - a $37,709 gap that pushes out-of-state economics toward private university territory. The McIntire School of Commerce and the School of Engineering together account for the strongest ROI programs. Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods - McIntire's signature program (406 graduates, $93,565 at year one, $139,095 at four years) - is the second-largest program at UVA by graduate count. Computer Engineering (58 graduates, $118,232 at year one) and Computer and Information Sciences (297 graduates, $98,067 at year one) round out the top earners. Nursing (120 graduates, $75,220 at year one) and Economics (492 graduates, $74,958 at year one) complete the high-ROI tier. UVA's 95.6% completion rate is the standout metric - nearly every student who enrolls graduates, which suppresses the debt-without-degree risk that damages ROI at lower-completion schools.
The median graduate earns $86,863 ten years after entry - well above the roughly $53,600 median across the schools we score.
University of Virginia-Main Campus
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $21,803/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $59,512/yr |
| Average net price | $21,565/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $86,260 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $86,863 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $56,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $17,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $186 |
| Estimated payback period | 4.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 95.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 17,597 |
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: $21,803/year ($59,512/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $21,565/year, or roughly $86,260 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 $8,174/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $35,402/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $17,500, which works out to about $186 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($56,800) and comes to 0.31, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
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 | $8,174 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $9,696 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,283 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,822 |
| $110,001+ | $35,402 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $8,174 per year net price. The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $9,696. UVA's AccessUVA program covers 100% of demonstrated financial need for Virginia residents without loans; lower-income Virginia students who gain admission should expect grant-heavy packages.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $13,283 per year; the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $20,822. These represent good value for Virginia residents - roughly $53,000-$83,000 in total net cost over four years for a school with a 4.4-year payback and median 10-year earnings of $86,863.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $35,402 per year - approximately $142,000 over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Virginia-Main Campus with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | $110,773 | B+ |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $139,095 | A |
| Biology | $70,240 | D |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $142,041 | A |
| Psychology | $62,794 | C+ |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $82,991 | B |
| Communication and Media Studies | $76,243 | B |
| English Language and Literature | $55,412 | B |
| International Relations | $78,310 | B |
| Registered Nursing | $86,653 | A |
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.
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
McIntire School of Commerce's Management Sciences program (406 graduates, $93,565 at year one, $139,095 at four years, ROI grade A, DTE 0.196) is UVA's highest-volume, high-earning program. McIntire consistently places graduates into investment banking, consulting, and financial services firms via on-campus recruiting that rivals any business school in the country. The four-year figure ($139k) reflects the trajectory of analysts who complete two-year banking stints and move into associate roles or private equity. Median debt of $18,347 is moderate. For Virginia residents at $21,803 in-state tuition, this program's ROI is strong.
Computer Engineering
Median debt of $16,875 is low relative to year-one earnings of $118k. The School of Engineering's placement into Northern Virginia's technology corridor - one of the densest concentrations of government contractors, cybersecurity firms, and technology companies outside Silicon Valley - explains both the high year-one figures and the strong four-year trajectory.
Computer and Information Sciences
UVA Computer and Information Sciences (297 graduates, $98,067 at year one, $142,041 at four years, ROI grade A, DTE 0.181) feeds into the DC-Northern Virginia technology market as well as national software engineering roles. Median debt of $17,783 is manageable against year-one earnings of $98k. The four-year figure ($142k) reflects movement into senior engineering, technical lead, or product management roles. For Virginia residents paying $21,803 in-state tuition, the total cost over four years is approximately $86,000-$88,000 - recouped in under a year at year-one earnings of $98k.
Economics
Economics at UVA (492 graduates, $74,958 at year one, $110,773 at four years, grade B+, DTE 0.253) is the highest-enrollment program outside of commerce and the sciences. The four-year figure ($110k) reflects UVA economics graduates entering finance, consulting, and government policy roles, many via DC-area employers. Students who cannot access McIntire often use economics as the finance-adjacent pathway, and the placement data supports that strategy.
Registered Nursing
Median debt is $15,130. Year-one earnings of $75k reflect the Charlottesville and Northern Virginia hospital markets. For students who want a nursing degree from a flagship research university at Virginia in-state prices, this program's ROI is clean.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 86.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 89.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 88.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 90.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Virginia-Main Campus’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 | 16.8% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 710-780 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 700-760 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 32-35 |
| Enrollment | 17,597 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 15.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $17,428 |
UVA admits 16.8% of applicants. SAT 710-780 Math and 700-760 Reading are the mid-50% ranges; ACT 32-35. Virginia residents have a modest admissions advantage given UVA's public mission, though the gap with out-of-state applicants has narrowed over the years. Early Decision is not available; UVA uses a Regular Decision and Early Action structure.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
UVA's completion rate is 95.6%.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Virginia-Main Campus (this school) | 95 | $21,565 | $86,863 |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | 97 | $12,116 | $102,772 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 95 | $13,138 | $83,648 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 94 | $11,655 | $72,200 |
| William & Mary | 91 | $19,096 | $73,490 |
| Christopher Newport University | 64 | $23,015 | $60,509 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See University of Virginia-Main Campus side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Admitted students cluster in the SAT 710-780 Math, 700-760 Reading range; ACT 32-35 composite. UVA's Pell rate is 15.5%, reflecting Virginia's income demographics and UVA's historical enrollment of higher-income students. The AccessUVA program provides grant-based aid for lower-income in-state students. Students interested in commerce (McIntire), engineering, CS, or economics see the strongest earnings outcomes. McIntire is a selective internal program - not all UVA admits can access it - and students should investigate the competitive internal transfer process before treating commerce as an assured pathway.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
If you're asking whether University of Virginia-Main Campus is worth it, the short answer is yes - it's one of the strongest money decisions in higher education. Four years here run about $86,260 after aid, and the typical graduate earns $86,863 ten years out. That earnings head start covers the cost in roughly 4.4 years, well ahead of most schools.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 95.6% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $17,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $56,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31, 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 Virginia-Main Campus: Common Questions
Is University of Virginia-Main Campus worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students University of Virginia-Main Campus pays off. It scores 95/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $21,565 a year after aid ($86,260 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $86,863 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 4.4 years to earn back.
How much does University of Virginia-Main Campus 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 $21,565 a year, or roughly $86,260 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 Virginia-Main Campus graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $86,863 ten years after enrolling, roughly $45,063 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off University of Virginia-Main Campus?
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 4.4 years for University of Virginia-Main Campus. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Virginia-Main Campus graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $17,500, against average earnings of $56,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31. 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 Virginia-Main Campus?
The six-year graduation rate is 95.6%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (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.