College ROI

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Virginia Union University

Richmond, VA 1,203 Undergrads 41.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$29,075
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,235
After Aid
Median Earnings
$50,840
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,235
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$50,840
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+33%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$38,275
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate41.3%
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 Age20.0
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients60.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS46.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
98.0%
SAT Avg
850
SAT Reading
25th: 45042175th: 475
SAT Math
25th: 40040475th: 410
ACT Composite
25th: -1675th: -

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$461k
-$6k
-$24k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$413k
-$54k
-$71k
Full Cost$29k/yr
+$356k
-$111k
-$128k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-150%
Full Cost$29k/yr
Never
-123%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-122%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-84%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,450
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,032
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Median Debt
$28,749
Earnings (4yr)
$39,251
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,400
Earnings (4yr)
$42,376
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Median Debt
$26,505
Earnings (4yr)
$45,214
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$30,200
Earnings (4yr)
$49,024
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,924
Natl Median: $75,399
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$313k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
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
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,826
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$38,872
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,982
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,836
Natl Median: $63,395
Lifetime Value Added
-$318k

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.