Virginia Union University
Richmond, Virginia · Private Nonprofit · 98.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 9/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Virginia Union University, an HBCU in Richmond, posts an overall ROI score of 9 - deep in the Below Benchmark tier. The fundamental challenge: average earnings six years after entry are just $23,800 (rising to a median $38,275 by year ten) against $29,000 in median federal debt, producing a 1.218 debt-to-earnings ratio. The 34.2% completion rate is roughly twice Shaw's but still leaves nearly two-thirds of starters without a credential. The 58.9-year payback period reflects that most graduates' earnings premium over the high-school baseline is too thin to amortize the full cost of attendance under standard timelines. The 37.8% three-year repayment rate is among the lower signals on our dashboard. VUU's mission as a historically Black institution founded after the Civil War carries qualitative weight that the ROI math does not capture, but families weighing real numbers should understand that completion, debt service, and earnings outcomes here all warrant honest scrutiny.
How Virginia Union University 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 Score9/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.22 - Median debt is larger than one year of average earnings six years after entry (a ratio above 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate34.2% - 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 period>50 years - In our estimate, the earnings premium over a high school completer is small next to the cost, so the cost may not be recouped within a working career.
Virginia Union University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $17,450/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $17,450/yr |
| Average net price | $13,235/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $52,940 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $38,275 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $23,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $29,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $307 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 34.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,203 |
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: $17,450/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $13,235/year, or roughly $52,940 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 $11,424/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $18,301/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $29,000, which works out to about $307 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($23,800) and comes to 1.22, 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least 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 | $11,424 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,372 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $14,420 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,362 |
| $110,001+ | $18,301 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $11,424 net - the lowest in the bracket structure, signaling institutional aid does flex meaningfully for Pell-eligible students. At this income level, however, that figure is still about 38% of household income, and combined with a 34.2% completion rate, the risk-adjusted math is sobering.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
$30,001-48,000 pays $12,372 and $48,001-75,000 pays $14,420. The $75,001-110,000 band jumps to $21,362 - a sharp $7,000 step-up that the data does not fully explain and that exceeds the $110,001-plus bracket's $18,301 (an inverted bracket - middle-upper income pays more than upper income). Middle-income families should run the school's own net price calculator because the bracketed averages are unstable at VUU's small enrollment scale.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $18,301, less than the $75,001-110,000 bracket - an inversion likely reflecting merit-aid stacking for academically stronger students.
Earnings by Major
Top 8 most popular majors at Virginia Union University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | $40,032 | F |
| Political Science and Government | $49,024 | F |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $39,251 | F |
| Psychology | $50,826 | F |
| Communication and Media Studies | $42,376 | F |
| Social Work | $38,872 | - |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $64,924 | C+ |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $45,214 | 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.
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations
Sales/Merchandising is the highest-graded program at VUU: $64,924 four-year median earnings (1-year is suppressed) against $35,000 in median debt produces a 0.539 ratio and a C+ grade. With only 7 graduates, the sample is small and the figure should be read with caution, but it suggests at least one program where the math meaningfully works.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business graduates 12 students with $19,354 first-year earnings and $39,251 by year four. Median debt of $29,000 produces a 1.498 ratio and an F grade. Students entering this program need to pay close attention to internship pipelines and Richmond-area placement networks; the entry-level earnings signal here is one of the weakest in the portfolio.
Psychology
Psychology produces 11 graduates with $21,626 first-year earnings climbing to $50,826 by year four - the strong four-year recovery suggests many graduates pursue MA or MSW programs that drive earnings. With $27,000 in debt, the 1.248 ratio at year one carries an F grade, but graduates committed to graduate study may end up in a different financial position than the snapshot suggests.
Communication and Media Studies
Communications graduates 10 students with $18,076 first-year earnings and $42,376 four-year. $31,000 in median debt produces a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.715 (F grade). The four-year recovery suggests delayed career launch is common; students entering this program should plan explicitly for an internship-heavy path and graduate study or risk extended financial hardship.
Biology
Biology graduates 12 students at $32,986 first-year and $40,032 four-year. $33,700 in median debt produces a 1.022 ratio (F grade). Biology is typically a pre-professional credential - students aiming at health careers, lab tech roles, or graduate study should treat this as a stepping stone with secondary credentialing required to drive real earnings.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 23.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 37.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 26.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 32.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Virginia Union University’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 | 98.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 400-410 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 450-475 |
| Enrollment | 1,203 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 68.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,874 |
VUU admits 98.0% of applicants - effectively open admission. The combination of near-universal admission and a 34.2% completion rate locates VUU's binding constraint squarely in persistence and academic support, not selectivity.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Union University (this school) | 9 | $13,235 | $38,275 |
| Lincoln University | 10 | $19,092 | $39,463 |
| Bethune-Cookman University | 9 | $12,030 | $38,518 |
| Fort Valley State University | 9 | $10,338 | $36,666 |
| Kentucky State University | 9 | $8,040 | $36,382 |
| South Carolina State University | 9 | $18,097 | $38,262 |
Who Thrives Here
Enrollment is 1,203 with a 68.7% Pell grant rate - VUU serves a heavily low-income, predominantly Black student population. The school fits students who want an HBCU experience in a meaningful urban setting (Richmond's Black history is a real curricular asset), who value the religious and historical mission, and who are prepared to use the institution's academic supports aggressively to push through to completion. Students for whom finishing in four years matters financially should evaluate persistence resources carefully.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Virginia Union University scores 9/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $13,235 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $38,275 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 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 34.2% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.22 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 37.8% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $29,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $23,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.22. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Virginia Union University: Common Questions
Is Virginia Union University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Virginia Union University scores 9/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $13,235 a year after aid against $38,275 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Virginia Union University 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 $13,235 a year, or roughly $52,940 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 Virginia Union University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $38,275 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 Virginia Union University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at more than 50 years for Virginia Union University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Virginia Union University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $29,000, against average earnings of $23,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.22. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so how much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Virginia Union University?
The six-year graduation rate is 34.2%. 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.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.