1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [Old Dominion University](/school/old-dominion-university/) 4. / 5. Career outcomes brief Career outcomes brief Copy linkPrint brief # Old Dominion University Career Outcomes & Earnings Updated September 30, 2026 [Overview](/school/old-dominion-university/)[Cost & aid](/school/old-dominion-university/cost/)Outcomes[Admissions](/school/old-dominion-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/old-dominion-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/old-dominion-university/similar/) **On this page**+ ## How much do Old Dominion University graduates earn? The reported median is $64,472 four years after completion. The peer comparison uses $65,610 as its benchmark; the difference is \-$1,138 per year. Azimuth places the return pillar for Old Dominion University in the 59th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $64,472 four years after completion, a figure in the 64th percentile. The median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $65,610, and this figure is $1,138 below that. Graduates earn about $2,397 more than the model expects for similar students. The gap is in the 64th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $6,344. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $3,947. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $2,990. Earnings scenarios range from $50,726 on the downside to $87,649 on the upside, a spread that shows the variation across programs at Old Dominion University. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. At the upper end, Electrical Engineering graduates earn $96,427 four years after completion, from 44 degrees awarded. Computer and Information Sciences follows at $95,485 with 108 degrees awarded, and Nursing at $90,917 with 222 degrees awarded. An estimated 31.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix rather than observed enrollment. Because four-year earnings cover completers who are working and not enrolled, those continuing their education are outside that earnings snapshot. **Median earnings · four years after completion** $64,472 **Rank for difference from expectations** 64th percentile Four-year median earnings against two benchmarks **Old Dominion University reported median** $64,472 **Peer schools comparable schools · $1,138 above Old Dominion University** $65,610 **Model expectation what similar students would be expected to earn · $2,397 below Old Dominion University** $62,075 School and program earnings use pooled 2017–18 and 2018–19 completion cohorts, measured in 2022 and 2023 and expressed in 2024 dollars. [How the model works](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). ## How many Old Dominion University first-year students return? First-time, full-time bachelor’s cohorts · CDS 2025-26 **Returned the following fall** 79.0% Source: Old Dominion University Common Data Set 2025-26, B22 retention. ## How could earnings differ from the median? The planning scenarios range from $50,726 to $87,649, around the reported median of $64,472. Compare the lower scenario with [Old Dominion University borrowing and monthly payments](/school/old-dominion-university/cost/) to see how a smaller income could change your plan. Modeled from the school’s program mix; not salary percentiles or a forecast for one graduate. Earnings four years after completion Planning rangeReported median **Lower estimate** $50,726 **Median · reported** $64,472 **Higher estimate** $87,649 Downside shows a lower-earning scenario based on the college’s mix of programs; upside shows a higher-earning scenario. Typical is the school’s reported median four years after completion. These are planning scenarios, not a forecast of your salary or percentiles of individual graduates. [Why the downside matters](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) explores the risk hidden by medians, using older ten-year entrant data. [Read about the move to four-year earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). ## Do Old Dominion University graduates earn more than expected? Azimuth models what we would expect graduates to earn based on who the college enrolls, how selective it is and its local economy. The difference between that expectation and reported earnings is what Azimuth calls [value added](/methodology/#value-added). Old Dominion University graduates’ reported earnings are $2,397 above that expectation, the 64th percentile for this measure. Unlike a peer comparison, it adjusts for who enrolls. The breakdown separates the contribution attributed to observed factors from the remaining difference. Neither component establishes how much attending Old Dominion University caused a student to earn. [Read how expected earnings are estimated](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$6,344 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$3,947 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$2,397 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. ## Which fields at Old Dominion University report the highest earnings? The earnings spread across programs is wide, and the largest fields do not sit at the top of it. Psychology awards 316 degrees a year and posts a median of $51,907 four years after completion. Nursing, the second-largest program at 222 degrees, reaches $90,917. The highest-earning programs are in engineering and computing. Electrical Engineering graduates earn $96,427 from 44 degrees awarded, and Computer and Information Sciences follows at $95,485 with 108 degrees. Several programs carry strong national ranks within their fields. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians #3 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 141 degrees awarded and median earnings of $81,077. Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management holds a national rank of #12 and is the top-ranked program in its field in Virginia. Old Dominion University has 31 nationally ranked bachelor's programs. Health Professions accounts for 18.2% of degrees awarded, followed by Business at 13.3%. The largest program is Psychology, with 316 degrees awarded and median earnings of $51,907 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #142 nationally in its field. Mechanical Engineering ranks #188 nationally, with 114 degrees awarded and median earnings of $87,772 four years after completion. Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians ranks #3 nationally, with 141 degrees awarded and median earnings of $81,077. Highest reported four-year program earnings **Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering** $96,427 **Computer and Information Sciences, General** $95,485 **Computer Engineering** $94,542 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing** $90,917 **Mechanical Engineering** $87,772 **Civil Engineering** $82,703 **Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other** $81,077 **Management Information Systems and Services** $74,465 [Explore Old Dominion University program cohorts and field ranks](/school/old-dominion-university/majors/#largest-cohorts) for more context. ## Further analysis Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix range from a downside of $50,726 to a typical outcome of $64,472 and an upside of $87,649. The spread reflects the mix of fields at the university. Electrical Engineering graduates earn $96,427 four years after completion, at the high end. Among the largest programs, Psychology sits at $51,907, showing how much field choice shapes the earnings range. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $64,472 at Old Dominion University. That figure is drawn from a cohort of 4,872 completers and sits at the 64th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,397 more than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios derived from the program mix show a downside of $50,726 and an upside of $87,649. An estimated 31.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. 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