Blue Ridge Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Blue Ridge Community College charges a net price of $13,997/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $55,988. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,644, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Blue Ridge Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #48 of 81 Virginia colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $13,997/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $55,988 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,644 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,716/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,409 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$170,308 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Blue Ridge Community College's own numbers. Net price $13,997 × 4 years = $55,988 total. Median earnings $42,644 fall $5,716 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $55,988 bill in about 5.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Blue Ridge Community College students graduate with?
A median $10,409 in federal loans among completers, or 24% of the $42,644 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Blue Ridge Community College students graduate?
40% finish their degree — 60% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $55,988 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $139,970 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Blue Ridge Community College expensive compared with other Virginia colleges?
Its $13,997 net price runs $5,069 below the $19,066 median across the 81 Virginia colleges we profile, and $20,276 less across the full degree.