VA · Medium public institution · Overall rank #396 nationally
Data snapshot · Updated
Azimuth ranks Radford University #396 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions.
Who it’s a good fit for
Radford University is a public university in Radford, Virginia, where Health Professions and Business account for the largest shares of degrees. Mobility is well above average.
Graduates earn less than predicts for students like them. The model attributes an addition to the factors it measures and a subtraction to the remainder it cannot explain.
So the shortfall is not spread evenly across what the model can and cannot account for. Pell recipients finish at a rate above the entering cohort as a whole, and mobility is the strongest , while return is modestly below average.
The lowest income band averages a net price well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it. The admission rate is above the median for comparable institutions.
A student drawn to the largest programs should know that the best-paid fields are smaller ones, and that most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study.
Radford University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[5]
Radford University enrolls 6,038 undergraduates as a public university in Radford, Virginia. It sits above the median among nonprofit four-year institutions (the 73rd percentile).
At Radford University, the share of applicants who receive an offer is 89.5%, above the 85.9% median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Of full-time first-year students, 75.6% return for a second year, above the 73.7% median for comparable institutions.
48.7% of the first-time full-time cohort finish within six years, just under the 49.1% median for comparable institutions. Because the rate counts only students who began as full-time freshmen, it describes a minority of the people who study here.
An estimated 34.9% of students enter as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year graduation rate leaves them out. The four pillars are spread wide.
Mobility is the strongest (88th percentile), while return is the weakest (35th percentile). Access and affordability sit close together between them (68th and 69th percentiles).
Azimuth ranks Radford University among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions, and the four pillars sit in different places. Mobility is the strongest, in the 88th percentile.
Affordability and access are close together, at the 69th and 68th percentiles. Return is the weakest of the four, at the 35th percentile.
The middle 50% of submitted ACT scores at Radford University fell between 19 and 26. 37.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants.
Azimuth ranks Radford University #475 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 60.8%, 12.1 percentage points above the overall six-year graduation rate (48.7%).
Azimuth ranks the university #181 for mobility. Graduates earn about $4,692 less than the model expects for similar students.
At Radford University, the average net price is $14,578, which is below the published cost of attendance of $28,405. The sticker price includes in-state tuition and fees of $12,548 plus room and board of $12,504.
Out-of-state students pay $25,633 in tuition and fees, a separate published charge. Grants and scholarships reduce the published cost by $13,827 for the average recipient.
The resulting net price sits $510 above the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). The peer median is the middle value for comparable institutions in the same type and size.
Azimuth ranks the university #444 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places affordability in the 69th percentile.
The published cost of attendance at Radford University is $28,405. Azimuth ranks the university #444 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.
For families earning under $30,000, it is $8,965; for those in the middle band, $48,001 to $75,000, it is $12,069; and for those earning over $110,000, it is $23,533. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $14,568.
Aid covers about 49% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, a savings of $13,827 against the sticker price. The average net price across all aid recipients is $14,578, which is $510 above the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size).
Borrowers who finish carry a median of $24,000 in federal student loans, $2,771 above the $21,229 peer median. 93.8% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans.
Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $22,158 in Parent PLUS loans. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $273 a month.
It estimates what a family might pay based on their own finances, not just the published averages.
Your family income
Choose a household income range to see estimated net price.
Reported average annual net price · $48–75K$12,069
After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ.
Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary.
Borrowing and repayment at Radford University
Federal borrowing is widespread at Radford University: 93.8% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Among borrowers who complete, the median federal student debt is $24,000.
That median is $2,771 above the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, the estimated monthly payment is $273.
Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $22,158 in Parent PLUS loans. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 73% of graduates borrowed from any source, with an average cumulative amount of $28,078 per borrower.
Of those graduates, 71% held federal loans, of whom the average was $21,144. Of those graduates, 18% also held private loans, averaging $30,160.
Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of Radford University who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $57,832, at the 43rd percentile nationally. That is $531 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size).
Graduates earn about $4,692 less than the model expects for similar students. That result sits at the 37th percentile.
Earnings scenarios, estimated from the university's program mix, range from $46,568 on the downside to $78,929 on the upside, with a typical scenario of $57,832. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $24,000 in federal loans, $2,771 above the median for comparable institutions.
If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $273 a month.
For the separate population of parent borrowers, median Parent PLUS borrowing is $22,158. For student borrowers, the median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $273 a month if repaid over ten years.
Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included.
Estimated student payment · monthly
$273/mo
Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly
$282/mo
Payments use school-wide median balances, not a specific major’s.
Payment assumptions
Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates.
The return pillar is the weakest of the four at Radford University, in the 35th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The median for federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled is $57,832 four years after completion.
The university sits $531 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That median is in the 43rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Graduates earn about $4,692 less than the model expects for similar students. That gap sits at the 37th percentile.
The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $3,118. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $7,810. Within the measured factors, the STEM component itself adds $105.
Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of Radford University who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $57,832. The earnings cohort for this measure numbers 2,692 completers.
Azimuth places that median in the 43rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,692 less than the model expects for similar students.
That result sits at the 37th percentile. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix put typical earnings at $57,832, with a downside scenario of $46,568 and an upside scenario of $78,929.
An estimated 28.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix.
Median earnings for Radford University graduates reach $57,832 four years after completion, placing the university at the 43rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $57,301, so this result sits $531 above that mark.
Azimuth ranks the university #958 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Completers earn about $4,692 less than the model expects for similar students.
The gap sits at the 37th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Of the earnings gap, the share the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $3,118.
The remainder it does not explain subtracts $7,810. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $105.
The degrees cluster in health professions and business, with other fields also present; STEM fields make up a smaller slice of degrees awarded. Estimated earnings scenarios drawn from the program mix run from $46,568 on the downside to $78,929 on the upside.
An estimated 28.4% of graduates continue on to graduate study, based on the program mix.
The earnings scenarios show a wide range: from $46,568 on the downside to $78,929 on the upside. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates.
At the higher end, Computer Science graduates earn $87,740 four years after completion, and Nursing graduates earn $81,120. The largest program, Nursing, reports median earnings of $81,120.
Radford University publishes a cost of attendance of $28,405. The , what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $14,578.
That average is $510 above the $14,068 peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who finish carry a median of $24,000 in federal student loans.
That is $2,771 above the peer median of $21,229, and it corresponds to an estimated payment of $273 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $22,158 in Parent PLUS loans.
Graduates earn about $4,692 less than the model expects for similar students. The return picture is mixed: earnings sit just above the peer median but fall below what the model expects for similar students.
What explains value-added earnings?
Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.
+$3,118
Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.
-$7,810
Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.
-$4,692
These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality.
Radford University admits 89.5% of applicants, close to the median of 85.9% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 9,155 first-year applicants, 8,196 admitted students, and 1,408 who enrolled.
SAT: reported composite scores
Admission rate
89.5%
25th percentile
950
Median
1040
75th percentile
1140
CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff.
The highest-earning program at Radford University is Computer Science, where graduates earn a median of $87,740 four years after completion. Azimuth ranks it #162 nationally within its field, from 40 degrees awarded a year.
The largest program is Nursing, with 229 degrees awarded and median earnings of $81,120. Azimuth ranks it #208 nationally.
At the more moderate-earning end, Psychology graduates earn $48,935 from 124 degrees awarded. Azimuth places it #230 nationally within its field.
Health Professions is the largest degree family at Radford University, accounting for 21.8% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Business second at 14.5%. The university has 21 nationally ranked programs, and several of its largest fields sit near the top of their class in Virginia.
Nursing is the biggest single program, at 229 degrees a year. Azimuth ranks it #208 within its field nationally and #6 in Virginia.
The highest-earning program is a smaller one: Computer Science, with 40 degrees awarded and median earnings of $87,740. Azimuth ranks it #162 nationally and #3 in Virginia.
The best nationally ranked program is Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, at #20 in its field, with 21 degrees awarded and median earnings of $46,725.
Radford University awards bachelor's degrees across 21 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 34 with published four-year earnings data. The program mix is led by Health Professions, which accounts for 21.8% of degrees awarded, followed by Business at 14.5% and Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at 7.8%.
The largest single programs are Nursing at 229 degrees awarded, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at 126, and Psychology at 124. The highest-ranked program is Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, which Azimuth ranks #2 in Virginia within its field.
The program awards 21 degrees a year, and graduates earn a median of $46,725 four years after completion. Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies is also strong, ranking #22 nationally and #1 in Virginia, with 41 degrees awarded and median earnings of $48,743.
The highest-earning program is Computer Science, where graduates earn a median of $87,740 four years out, from 40 degrees awarded. Nursing, the largest program, is also the second-highest earner at $81,120, and Azimuth ranks it #208 nationally and #6 in Virginia within its field.
The top-ranked programs are in Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies, and Allied Health Professions. The largest programs in Nursing and Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies also carry high national and state ranks.
Across all fields, 10.7% of degrees awarded are in STEM. Four-year earnings for fields where graduate study is common may understate later trajectories.
Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 229 degrees awarded
$81,120
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 126 degrees awarded
$50,057
Psychology, General 124 degrees awarded
$48,935
Business Administration, Management and Operations 109 degrees awarded
$67,246
Criminal Justice and Corrections 101 degrees awarded
$56,996
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas 84 degrees awarded
$53,863
Fields selected by reported completions. Counts describe credentials awarded, not unique students or the earnings sample. Bars show median four-year earnings.
Azimuth groups alternatives by admissions, location, cost and earnings, then orders candidates within each group. Peer earnings use the matched four-year cohort. How matching works.
A shortlist for different decisions
Choose a row to compare the figures with Radford University.
Admissions peerFerrum College89.0% admitted+
Comparison with Radford University
Measure
Radford University
Ferrum College
Peer earnings · 4 years
$57,832
$46,725-$11,107 vs Radford University
Average annual net price
$14,578
$20,082+$5,504 vs Radford University · higher cost
Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable.
Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection.
Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them.
Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects.
Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release.
Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source.
Analysis and methodology by Daniel Rogers, founder of College Azimuth.
Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation; notes with a different source link it below.
Admission rate. Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability.
Source fields: ADM_RATE
Six-year completion. First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree.
Source fields: C150_4
Four-year institutional earnings. Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion.
Source fields: MD_EARN_WNE_4YR
Median federal student debt. Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students.
Source fields: GRAD_DEBT_MDN
National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks. Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ.
Annual net price by family income. Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers.
Source fields: NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV
Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration. Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations.
Downside and upside earnings; yellow band. The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median.
Value added and its components. Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality.
SAT score range and reported midpoint. Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range.
First-year retention. Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions.
Source fields: RET_FT4
Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots. Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity.
Pell recipients. Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year.
Source fields: PCTPELL
Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group. This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns.
Source fields: 1 − PFTFTUG1_EF
Peer earnings and signed differences. Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure.
Source fields: Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR