Fortis College-Norfolk — ROI, Cost & Payback
Fortis College-Norfolk charges a net price of $24,764/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $99,056. Median earnings ten years after entry are $32,754, 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, Fortis College-Norfolk does not clear its cost — it ranks #77 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) | $24,764/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $99,056 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $32,754 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$15,606/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$411,176 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Fortis College-Norfolk's own numbers. Net price $24,764 × 4 years = $99,056 total. Median earnings $32,754 fall $15,606 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 $99,056 bill in about 9.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Fortis College-Norfolk students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 29% of the $32,754 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Fortis College-Norfolk students graduate?
30% finish their degree — 70% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $99,056 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $330,187 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Fortis College-Norfolk expensive compared with other Virginia colleges?
Its $24,764 net price runs $5,698 above the $19,066 median across the 81 Virginia colleges we profile, or $22,792 more across the full degree.