Virginia Commonwealth University is a public 4-year college in Richmond, Virginia with 20,753 undergraduates. It admits 93% of applicants, costs an average of $25,037 a year after grants and graduates 65% of its students.
Figures from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, released October 15, 2026. What each number covers.
Virginia Commonwealth University acceptance rate and admissions
Virginia Commonwealth University admitted 93% of applicants for fall 2024. The median acceptance rate at 4-year colleges is 77%.
Test scores: Considered but not required (as reported for fall 2024 admission). That means you can apply without SAT or ACT scores. Check the admissions office for the current policy.
The colored band is the middle 50% of enrolled students in fall 2024 (reading and writing 520 to 650, math 490 to 620). The tick marks the typical 4-year college. Check how your scores fit.
Virginia Commonwealth University application deadlines 2026-27
| Round | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Rolling admission | Applications reviewed as they arrive |
Application fee through the Common App: $75 for U.S. applicants. Confirm dates on Virginia Commonwealth University’s admissions page; see every college on the deadline calendar.
Source: Common App 2026-27 first-year deadlines, fees and requirements grid, updated Sep 25, 2026.
Virginia Commonwealth University tuition, cost and net price
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $17,490 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $40,654 |
| On-campus housing and food (2025-26) | $19,862 |
| Total cost of attendance (2024-25) | $43,180 |
| Average net price after grants (2024-25) | $25,037 |
Students who get federal aid pay an average of $25,037 a year after grants and scholarships, $18,143 less than the full cost of attendance. This figure covers in-state students.
What families pay, by income
Average yearly cost after grants for aided first-time students paying in-state tuition, by family income (2024-25):
Your own price depends on your family's full situation. Run Virginia Commonwealth University's net price calculator for a personal estimate, or make a "what it costs us" card.
Virginia Commonwealth University graduation rate, earnings and debt
- 65% of first-time, full-time students finished within six years (students who started in 2019).
- Former students earned a median of $64,442 a year, 10 years after they started (students who received federal aid and were working).
- Students who completed left with a median of $19,500 in federal student loans.
Earnings compared
Debt compared
Median debt is 30% of median earnings 10 years after entry. Many advisers suggest keeping total student debt below one year of expected pay. See the monthly payment.
Virginia Commonwealth University majors and what graduates earn
Virginia Commonwealth University awarded bachelor's degrees in 54 fields recently. The best-paid graduates four years out came from computer and information sciences ($118,521).
All 54 majors at Virginia Commonwealth University
| Major | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Earnings 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and information sciences | 131 | $82,745 | $118,521 | $18,827 |
| Computer engineering | 21 | $80,958 | $118,273 | $22,043 |
| Electrical engineering | 25 | $83,487 | $107,487 | $22,000 |
| Chemical engineering | 35 | $83,334 | $97,781 | $27,000 |
| Mechanical engineering | 82 | $74,615 | $88,410 | $22,875 |
| Information science | 134 | $62,422 | $87,219 | $19,375 |
| Nursing | 203 | $80,739 | $86,661 | $21,120 |
| Biomedical engineering | 50 | $50,122 | $86,295 | $15,363 |
| Medical lab science | 26 | $72,444 | $80,344 | $16,125 |
| Accounting | 54 | $62,986 | $78,631 | $22,125 |
| Dental hygiene and assisting | 16 | $82,598 | $78,231 | $15,000 |
| Allied health (PA, radiography, therapy and more) | 38 | $76,696 | $77,786 | $26,000 |
| Physics | 10 | $67,201 | $77,737 | n/a |
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other | 49 | $52,084 | $72,239 | $18,750 |
| Marketing | 154 | $47,969 | $68,622 | $18,250 |
| Mathematics | 36 | $59,078 | $68,457 | $14,086 |
| Business | 227 | $54,755 | $68,387 | $16,410 |
| Chemistry | 91 | $45,179 | $67,439 | $19,674 |
| Philosophy | 27 | $33,002 | $64,402 | $19,750 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | 28 | $57,550 | $64,164 | $19,092 |
| Political science | 157 | $45,615 | $62,182 | $18,500 |
| Biological and physical sciences | 73 | $42,836 | $61,395 | $22,375 |
| Security Science and Technology | 70 | $46,178 | $61,026 | $24,799 |
| Real Estate | 18 | $57,084 | $60,718 | n/a |
| Communication | 180 | $41,953 | $59,968 | $20,000 |
| Teacher education by subject | 298 | $40,189 | $59,442 | $20,500 |
| Criminal justice | 186 | $42,112 | $58,792 | $19,500 |
| Biology | 343 | $35,052 | $58,420 | $19,500 |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | 37 | $44,334 | $58,084 | $16,807 |
| Interdisciplinary studies, other | 147 | $48,106 | $55,855 | $20,000 |
| Social work | 84 | $36,945 | $55,288 | $21,996 |
| Graphic and industrial design | 353 | $34,780 | $53,575 | $21,742 |
| History | 64 | $44,015 | $53,186 | $20,500 |
| Sociology | 61 | $34,339 | $53,122 | $19,500 |
| Psychology | 561 | $38,562 | $51,440 | $18,750 |
| Environmental science | 56 | $39,999 | $50,217 | $20,125 |
| Anthropology | 24 | $31,386 | $49,641 | $22,050 |
| Area Studies | 36 | $40,946 | $45,852 | $19,375 |
| English | 93 | $38,166 | $45,844 | $19,500 |
| Linguistics | 11 | $30,769 | $45,607 | n/a |
| Theater | 61 | $28,887 | $43,957 | $19,500 |
| Fine and studio arts | 65 | $29,226 | $43,690 | $20,500 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 28 | $38,263 | $42,233 | $20,500 |
| Music | 41 | $37,008 | $38,278 | $25,502 |
| Film and photography | 108 | $29,940 | $37,958 | $17,875 |
| Crafts and folk art | 27 | $24,179 | $37,253 | $21,974 |
| Finance | 85 | $64,938 | n/a | $18,020 |
| Health administration | 43 | n/a | n/a | $15,000 |
| Teacher education by grade level | 39 | $49,477 | n/a | $21,000 |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 39 | $56,975 | n/a | $15,250 |
| Dance | 16 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Special education | 8 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Religious studies | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Human resources | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Four-year earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Fields with few graduates have no published earnings.
Graduate programs at Virginia Commonwealth University
95 graduate programs awarded degrees recently. Largest first.
Show 95 graduate programs
| Program | Degree | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social work | Master's | 365 | $56,844 | $41,000 |
| Medicine | Professional doctorate | 175 | $64,402 | $188,232 |
| Business administration | Master's | 116 | $104,617 | $41,000 |
| Dentistry | Professional doctorate | 105 | $135,700 | $374,248 |
| Physical and occupational therapy | Doctoral | 104 | $76,599 | $81,459 |
| Pharmacy | Professional doctorate | 102 | $89,332 | $134,778 |
| Business | Master's | 94 | $74,134 | $41,000 |
| Nursing | Doctoral | 81 | $222,972 | $84,212 |
| Nursing | Master's | 67 | $107,670 | $41,000 |
| Education leadership | Doctoral | 59 | $91,899 | $35,319 |
| Health administration | Master's | 52 | $97,961 | $60,949 |
| Education | Master's | 51 | $54,426 | $30,750 |
| Data analytics | Master's | 47 | n/a | $32,475 |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | Master's | 47 | $57,037 | $20,500 |
| School counseling and student services | Master's | 37 | $57,208 | $48,471 |
| Physical and occupational therapy | Master's | 35 | $54,989 | $41,000 |
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other | Master's | 32 | $74,026 | $37,906 |
| Information science | Master's | 29 | n/a | n/a |
| Public administration | Master's | 26 | $77,376 | $41,000 |
| Security Science and Technology | Master's | 25 | $52,627 | $41,000 |
| Fine and studio arts | Master's | 25 | $30,740 | $36,580 |
| Chemistry | Doctoral | 22 | n/a | n/a |
| Public health | Master's | 22 | n/a | $41,000 |
| Mental health counseling | Master's | 21 | $79,462 | n/a |
| Education | Doctoral | 20 | $87,726 | n/a |
| Teacher education by subject | Master's | 20 | $59,473 | n/a |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | Master's | 18 | n/a | n/a |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | Master's | 18 | $63,588 | n/a |
| Biomedical engineering | Master's | 17 | n/a | n/a |
| Clinical and counseling psychology | Doctoral | 17 | $83,716 | $41,000 |
| Computer and information sciences | Master's | 16 | n/a | n/a |
| Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | Master's | 16 | $263,057 | n/a |
| Communication | Master's | 15 | n/a | n/a |
| Psychology | Master's | 15 | n/a | n/a |
| Special education | Master's | 14 | $58,422 | n/a |
| Education leadership | Master's | 13 | n/a | n/a |
| Criminal justice | Master's | 12 | n/a | n/a |
| Graphic and industrial design | Master's | 12 | $46,725 | n/a |
| Pharmacy | Doctoral | 12 | n/a | n/a |
| Engineering, Other | Master's | 11 | n/a | n/a |
| English | Master's | 10 | n/a | n/a |
| Mathematics and Statistics, Other | Doctoral | 10 | n/a | n/a |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | Master's | 10 | $87,293 | n/a |
| Natural Sciences | Doctoral | 10 | n/a | n/a |
| Human development and family studies | Master's | 9 | n/a | n/a |
| Medical lab science | Master's | 9 | n/a | n/a |
| Teacher education by grade level | Master's | 8 | n/a | n/a |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Master's | 8 | n/a | n/a |
| Mathematics | Master's | 8 | n/a | n/a |
| Sociology | Master's | 8 | n/a | n/a |
| Curriculum and Instruction | Master's | 7 | n/a | n/a |
| Engineering, general | Doctoral | 7 | n/a | n/a |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | Doctoral | 7 | n/a | n/a |
| Public health | Doctoral | 7 | n/a | n/a |
| Accounting | Master's | 7 | n/a | n/a |
| Engineering, general | Master's | 6 | n/a | n/a |
| Biomedical engineering | Doctoral | 6 | n/a | n/a |
| Nanotechnology | Doctoral | 6 | n/a | n/a |
| Chemistry | Master's | 6 | n/a | n/a |
| Social work | Doctoral | 6 | n/a | n/a |
| Business | Doctoral | 6 | n/a | n/a |
| History | Master's | 6 | n/a | n/a |
| Environmental science | Master's | 5 | n/a | n/a |
| Computer and information sciences | Doctoral | 5 | n/a | n/a |
| Biology | Master's | 5 | n/a | n/a |
| Genetics | Master's | 5 | n/a | n/a |
| Physiology | Doctoral | 5 | n/a | n/a |
| Economics | Master's | 5 | n/a | n/a |
| Theater | Master's | 5 | n/a | n/a |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | Doctoral | 5 | n/a | n/a |
| Special education | Doctoral | 4 | n/a | n/a |
| Chemical engineering | Doctoral | 4 | n/a | n/a |
| Engineering, Other | Doctoral | 4 | n/a | n/a |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | Master's | 4 | n/a | n/a |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | Master's | 4 | n/a | n/a |
| Interdisciplinary studies, other | Master's | 4 | n/a | n/a |
| Psychology | Doctoral | 4 | n/a | n/a |
| Public administration | Doctoral | 4 | n/a | n/a |
| Pharmacy | Master's | 4 | n/a | n/a |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | Doctoral | 3 | n/a | n/a |
| Interdisciplinary studies, other | Doctoral | 3 | n/a | n/a |
| Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | Doctoral | 3 | n/a | n/a |
| Biology | Doctoral | 2 | n/a | n/a |
| Biochemistry and molecular biology | Master's | 2 | n/a | n/a |
| Biochemistry and molecular biology | Doctoral | 2 | n/a | n/a |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | Master's | 2 | n/a | n/a |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | Doctoral | 2 | n/a | n/a |
| Neuroscience | Doctoral | 2 | n/a | n/a |
| Physics | Master's | 2 | n/a | n/a |
| Fine and studio arts | Doctoral | 2 | n/a | n/a |
| Genetics | Doctoral | 1 | n/a | n/a |
| Physiology | Master's | 1 | n/a | n/a |
| Ecology and evolutionary biology | Doctoral | 1 | n/a | n/a |
| Physics | Doctoral | 1 | n/a | n/a |
| Health administration | Doctoral | 1 | n/a | n/a |
Students and location
- 20,753 degree-seeking undergraduates (fall 2024)
- 63% women, 37% men
- 17 students for every faculty member
- Setting: midsize city
- Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at Virginia Commonwealth University?
Virginia Commonwealth University admitted 93% of applicants for fall 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
How much does Virginia Commonwealth University cost?
Tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $17,490 for in-state students and $40,654 for out-of-state students. After grants and scholarships, aided students paid an average net price of $25,037 a year in 2024-25.
What SAT score do you need for Virginia Commonwealth University?
The middle 50% of enrolled students scored 520 to 650 in reading and writing and 490 to 620 in math, and 22 to 30 on the ACT. Scores inside these ranges are typical for admitted students.
Is Virginia Commonwealth University test-optional?
For fall 2024 admission, Virginia Commonwealth University reported that test scores were: considered but not required. Policies change, so confirm with the admissions office.
What is the graduation rate at Virginia Commonwealth University?
65% of first-time, full-time students finished within six years.
How much do Virginia Commonwealth University graduates make?
Former students who received federal aid earned a median of $64,442 a year 10 years after they started, in 2024 dollars.
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More: all colleges in Virginia · colleges in Richmond · Virginia Commonwealth University on the College Scorecard
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, data release of October 15, 2026. What each figure means and the year it covers.