Virginia State University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Virginia State University charges a net price of $15,840/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $63,360. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,543, 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, Virginia State University does not clear its cost — it ranks #38 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) | $15,840/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $63,360 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,543 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,817/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $26,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$119,700 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Virginia State University's own numbers. Net price $15,840 × 4 years = $63,360 total. Median earnings $45,543 fall $2,817 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 $63,360 bill in about 6.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Virginia State University students graduate with?
A median $26,500 in federal loans among completers, or 58% of the $45,543 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Virginia State University students graduate?
39% finish their degree — 61% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $63,360 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $162,462 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Virginia State University expensive compared with other Virginia colleges?
Its $15,840 net price runs $3,226 below the $19,066 median across the 81 Virginia colleges we profile, and $12,904 less across the full degree.