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Central Virginia Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback

Public · Lynchburg, VA · 2,249 students

The verdict

Central Virginia Community College charges a net price of $6,928/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $27,712. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,627, 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.)

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On institution-wide earnings, Central Virginia Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #63 of 81 Virginia colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.

$6,928
Net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$36,627
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
Payback
Our math, 2026
Admission rate
Scorecard, 2026
Central Virginia Community College: cost, earnings and payback
MeasureValueSource
Net price (after aid)$6,928/yrScorecard, 2026
Total net cost (4 yrs)$27,712our math
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry$36,627Scorecard, 2026
Earnings premium over HS baseline-$11,733/yrour math
Median debt (completers)$8,625Scorecard, 2026
Paybackdoes not clearour math
20-year net return-$262,372our math

College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.

The arithmetic, on Central Virginia Community College's own numbers. Net price $6,928 × 4 years = $27,712 total. Median earnings $36,627 fall $11,733 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 $27,712 bill in about 2.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.

How much debt do Central Virginia Community College students graduate with?

A median $8,625 in federal loans among completers, or 24% of the $36,627 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.

What share of Central Virginia Community College students graduate?

45% finish their degree — 55% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $27,712 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $61,582 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.

Is Central Virginia Community College expensive compared with other Virginia colleges?

Its $6,928 net price runs $12,138 below the $19,066 median across the 81 Virginia colleges we profile, and $48,552 less across the full degree.

Central Virginia Community College: frequently asked questions

Is Central Virginia Community College worth the cost?
On institution-wide earnings, the degree does not clear its cost: graduates earn a median $36,627, at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. The field you study matters far more here than the school average — a high-paying major can flip the math.
How long does a Central Virginia Community College degree take to pay off?
On institution-wide earnings it does not pay back, because median earnings sit at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. A specific high-ROI program can still pay off.
How much does Central Virginia Community College cost after financial aid?
The median net price is $6,928/yr — about $27,712 over 4 years. That is what the typical aided student actually pays after grants and scholarships, not the published sticker price.
How does Central Virginia Community College compare to other Virginia colleges?
It ranks #63 of 81 Virginia colleges we track by payback. Its $36,627 median earnings trail the national median of $43,549, and its $6,928 net price is below the national median of $16,902.