South University-Richmond — ROI, Cost & Payback
South University-Richmond charges a net price of $30,442/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $121,768. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,421, 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, South University-Richmond does not clear its cost — it ranks #75 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) | $30,442/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $121,768 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,421 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,939/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $26,123 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$400,548 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on South University-Richmond's own numbers. Net price $30,442 × 4 years = $121,768 total. Median earnings $34,421 fall $13,939 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 $121,768 bill in about 12.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do South University-Richmond students graduate with?
A median $26,123 in federal loans among completers, or 76% of the $34,421 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of South University-Richmond students graduate?
42% finish their degree — 58% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $121,768 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $289,924 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is South University-Richmond expensive compared with other Virginia colleges?
Its $30,442 net price runs $11,376 above the $19,066 median across the 81 Virginia colleges we profile, or $45,504 more across the full degree.