University of Virginia's College at Wise
Wise, Virginia · Public · 28.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 48/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
UVA-Wise scores 48 (Below Average Value) on the CampusROI scale. The in-state cost structure is genuinely low ($11,780 tuition, $9,210 net price), but the 47.1% completion rate is serious: fewer than half of entering students earn a degree. The repayment rate of 71.2% indicates a meaningful share of graduates struggle with loan repayment despite low debt ($16,750 median). Registered Nursing is the one strong program: $72,911 year-one (4-year data not available). The remaining programs show modest-to-poor outcomes. The 39.8% Pell grant rate reflects a student body with significant financial need.
How University of Virginia's College at Wise 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.
- Payback period17.1 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
University of Virginia's College at Wise
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $11,780/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $28,010/yr |
| Average net price | $9,210/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $36,840 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $45,325 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $30,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $16,750 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $178 |
| Estimated payback period | 17.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 47.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,101 |
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: $11,780/year ($28,010/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $9,210/year, or roughly $36,840 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 $8,891/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $16,176/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $16,750, 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 ($30,000) and comes to 0.56, 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 | $8,891 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,668 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $7,455 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $8,813 |
| $110,001+ | $16,176 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 bracket pays $8,891 per year - roughly $35,600 over four years. Against $30,000 average 6-year earnings, even this low cost produces an extended payback period. The 47.1% completion rate means a large share of low-income students who enroll will leave without a degree. For nursing admits who complete, the ROI calculation improves substantially.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families pay $7,455 (48001-75000 bracket) to $8,813 (75001-110000 bracket) per year - lower than the lowest bracket in an unusual inversion. Four-year costs of $30,000-$35,000 are very low in absolute terms. The payback concern is earnings-driven, not cost-driven. Middle-income students targeting nursing or education have a workable proposition.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $16,176 per year - about $65,000 total. At this cost against $30,000 average earnings, the financial case requires program-specific rationale.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at University of Virginia's College at Wise with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $72,911 | - |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $51,193 | B |
| Education, General | $41,804 | - |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $50,029 | C+ |
| Psychology | $44,430 | C |
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
Registered Nursing (20 graduates) earns $72,911 year-one. Scorecard does not report four-year earnings, debt, or ROI grade for this program. Year-one earnings of $72,911 are solid for the regional Virginia market. Small cohort size limits data robustness.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration earns $34,175 year-one and $50,029 at year four (C+ grade, debt-to-earnings 0.462, median debt $15,799). The low median debt ($15,799) helps the C+ grade despite modest earnings. Four-year trajectory to $50k shows limited upside. Scorecard does not report graduate count for this program.
Psychology
Psychology earns $29,209 year-one and $44,430 at year four (C grade, debt-to-earnings 0.617, median debt $18,031). Year-one earnings of $29k against $18,031 debt produces an elevated ratio for this level of earnings. C grade captures the debt-to-earnings tension. Scorecard does not report graduate count. Four-year figure of $44k reflects modest career progression in the southwest Virginia labor market.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 66.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 71.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 63.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 72.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Virginia's College at Wise’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 | 28.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 425-540 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 520-580 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-22 |
| Enrollment | 1,101 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 39.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,197 |
UVA-Wise admits 28.5% of applicants, with SAT ranges of 425-540 Math and 520-580 Reading and an ACT range of 18-22. Students who are admitted should assess their readiness for four-year degree completion.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Virginia's College at Wise (this school) | 48 | $9,210 | $45,325 |
| William & Mary | 91 | $19,096 | $73,490 |
| Christopher Newport University | 64 | $23,015 | $60,509 |
| Wright State University-Lake Campus | 48 | $11,081 | $49,500 |
| Lake Superior State University | 46 | $12,822 | $49,045 |
| Peru State College | 41 | $11,632 | $47,071 |
Who Thrives Here
UVA-Wise admits 28.5% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges are 425-540 Math and 520-580 Reading (ACT 18-22). Enrollment is 1,101. The high Pell rate (39.8%) confirms the school serves predominantly lower-income, first-generation students from southwest Virginia. The completion rate is 47.1%. Students should assess the academic support infrastructure carefully.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for University of Virginia's College at Wise is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $9,210 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $45,325 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 17.1 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What to keep an eye on: its 47.1% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 71.2% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $16,750 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $30,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56, 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's College at Wise: Common Questions
Is University of Virginia's College at Wise worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. University of Virginia's College at Wise scores 48/100 on our ROI scale. At $9,210 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $45,325 ten years after entry, so it takes about 17.1 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does University of Virginia's College at Wise 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 $9,210 a year, or roughly $36,840 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's College at Wise graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $45,325 ten years after enrolling, roughly $3,525 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's College at Wise?
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 17.1 years for University of Virginia's College at Wise. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Virginia's College at Wise graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $16,750, against average earnings of $30,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56. 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's College at Wise?
The six-year graduation rate is 47.1%. 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.