Virginia Union University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Virginia Union University charges a net price of $13,235/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $52,940. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,275, 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 Union University does not clear its cost — it ranks #60 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) | $13,235/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $52,940 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,275 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,085/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $29,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$254,640 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Virginia Union University's own numbers. Net price $13,235 × 4 years = $52,940 total. Median earnings $38,275 fall $10,085 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 $52,940 bill in about 5.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Virginia Union University students graduate with?
A median $29,000 in federal loans among completers, or 76% of the $38,275 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Virginia Union University students graduate?
34% finish their degree — 66% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $52,940 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $155,706 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Virginia Union University expensive compared with other Virginia colleges?
Its $13,235 net price runs $5,831 below the $19,066 median across the 81 Virginia colleges we profile, and $23,324 less across the full degree.