1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [Radford University](/school/radford-university/) 4. / 5. Career outcomes brief Career outcomes brief Copy linkPrint brief # Radford University Career Outcomes & Earnings Updated September 30, 2026 [Overview](/school/radford-university/)[Cost & aid](/school/radford-university/cost/)Outcomes[Admissions](/school/radford-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/radford-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/radford-university/similar/) **On this page**+ ## How much do Radford University graduates earn? The reported median is $57,832 four years after completion. The peer comparison uses $57,301 as its benchmark; the difference is $531 per year. 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. 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. An estimated 28.4% 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 snapshot. **Median earnings · four years after completion** $57,832 **Rank for difference from expectations** 38th percentile Four-year median earnings against two benchmarks **Radford University reported median** $57,832 **Peer schools comparable schools · $531 below Radford University** $57,301 **Model expectation what similar students would be expected to earn · $4,692 above Radford University** $62,524 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 could earnings differ from the median? The planning scenarios range from $46,568 to $78,929, around the reported median of $57,832. Compare the lower scenario with [Radford University borrowing and monthly payments](/school/radford-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** $46,568 **Median · reported** $57,832 **Higher estimate** $78,929 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 Radford 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). Radford University graduates’ reported earnings are $4,692 below that expectation, the 38th 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 Radford 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.** +$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. ## Which fields at Radford University report the highest earnings? The highest-earning program at Radford University is Computer Science, where graduates earn a median of $87,740 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 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](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #208 within its field nationally and #6 in Virginia. Graduates earn a median of $81,120 four years after completion. 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. Highest reported four-year program earnings **Computer Science** $87,740 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing** $81,120 **Accounting and Related Services** $78,780 **Finance and Financial Management Services** $72,364 **Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions** $71,805 **Economics** $69,943 **Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions** $68,364 **Information Science/Studies** $68,088 [Explore Radford University program cohorts and field ranks](/school/radford-university/majors/#largest-cohorts) for more context. ## Further analysis Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix show a downside of $46,568, a typical outcome of $57,832, and an upside of $78,929. The spread shows variation by field: Computer Science reaches $87,740 at the high end, while Psychology, the lowest-earning among the largest programs, stands at $48,935. 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. ## 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. [About College Azimuth](/about/).