Piedmont Virginia Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Piedmont Virginia Community College charges a net price of $5,963/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $11,926. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,752, 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, Piedmont Virginia Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #45 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) | $5,963/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $11,926 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,752 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$7,608/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,750 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$164,086 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Piedmont Virginia Community College's own numbers. Net price $5,963 × 2 years = $11,926 total. Median earnings $40,752 fall $7,608 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 $11,926 bill in about 1.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Piedmont Virginia Community College students graduate with?
A median $8,750 in federal loans among completers, or 21% of the $40,752 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Piedmont Virginia Community College students graduate?
39% finish their degree — 61% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $11,926 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $30,579 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Piedmont Virginia Community College expensive compared with other Virginia colleges?
Its $5,963 net price runs $13,103 below the $19,066 median across the 81 Virginia colleges we profile, and $26,206 less across the full degree.