Tidewater Tech-Trades — ROI, Cost & Payback
Tidewater Tech-Trades charges a net price of $26,366/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $105,464. Median earnings ten years after entry are $31,657, 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, Tidewater Tech-Trades does not clear its cost — it ranks #79 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) | $26,366/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $105,464 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $31,657 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$16,703/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$439,524 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Tidewater Tech-Trades's own numbers. Net price $26,366 × 4 years = $105,464 total. Median earnings $31,657 fall $16,703 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 $105,464 bill in about 10.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Tidewater Tech-Trades students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 30% of the $31,657 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Tidewater Tech-Trades students graduate?
71% finish their degree. Spread the $105,464 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $148,541 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Tidewater Tech-Trades expensive compared with other Virginia colleges?
Its $26,366 net price runs $7,300 above the $19,066 median across the 81 Virginia colleges we profile, or $29,200 more across the full degree.