College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Virginia State University

Petersburg, VA 5,074 Undergrads 46.1% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
Share
Total Cost
$28,338
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,893
After Aid
Median Earnings
$54,694
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,893
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$54,694
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$49,358
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate46.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average starting age (2015-17)20.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients73.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS58.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
88.6%
SAT Avg
948
SAT Reading
25th: 44049575th: 550
SAT Math
25th: 40045075th: 520
ACT Composite
25th: 141875th: 20

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$486k
+$16k
-$453
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$432k
-$38k
-$54k
Full Cost$28k/yr
+$384k
-$86k
-$102k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-101%
Full Cost$28k/yr
Never
-100%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return-84%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-75%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$22,217
Earnings (4yr)
$72,375
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$48,778
Natl Median: $53,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,875
Earnings (4yr)
$53,398
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$49,764
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,896
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,276
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$758
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$89,702
Natl Median: $83,742
Lifetime Value Added
+$228k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$25,751
Earnings (4yr)
$48,624
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,781
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
-$230k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,514
Natl Median: $53,262
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Try this program with your own numbers →
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,476
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$24,288
Earnings (5yr)
$69,382
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,015
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$72,734
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,642
Natl Median: $88,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$23,044
Earnings (4yr)
$53,709
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,193
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$26,719
Earnings (4yr)
$80,902
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$26,235
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,002
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,138
Earnings (4yr)
$37,861
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$24,869
Earnings (4yr)
$49,615
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,432
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,362
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$320k
Try this program with your own numbers →

Master's Degrees

Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,526
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,395
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$65,375
Earnings (4yr)
$66,322
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Try this program with your own numbers →

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,873
Natl Median: $69,444
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Try this program with your own numbers →

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$52,359
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$216k
Try this program with your own numbers →

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.