Hollins University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Hollins University charges a net price of $20,896/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $83,584. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,075, 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, Hollins University does not clear its cost — it ranks #59 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) | $20,896/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $83,584 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,075 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,285/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$249,284 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Hollins University's own numbers. Net price $20,896 × 4 years = $83,584 total. Median earnings $40,075 fall $8,285 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 $83,584 bill in about 8.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Hollins University students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 67% of the $40,075 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Hollins University students graduate?
65% finish their degree — 35% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $83,584 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $128,591 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Hollins University expensive compared with other Virginia colleges?
Its $20,896 net price runs $1,830 above the $19,066 median across the 81 Virginia colleges we profile, or $7,320 more across the full degree.