University Of The Pacific

Virginia State University's published cost of attendance is $71,515. Net price by income band reflects the institution's public-tuition structure and need-based aid reach: low-income families pay approximately $17,004, middle-income families pay around $19,209, and higher-income families pay approximately $38,662.

Azimuth ranks University of the Pacific #1018 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Virginia State participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs. Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and the institution's aid structure is designed to close the gap between published cost and what families actually pay.

The affordability rank reflects both the headline net prices and the debt load graduates carry out, shaped by Virginia's public-tuition baseline and the institution's aid capacity. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $19,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $50,438; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $81,820, median federal debt of $19,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $220 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of University of the Pacific earn median earnings of $81,820 four years after enrollment, placing University of the Pacific in the 87.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $67,139 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).

Graduates earn about $21,523 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 96.4 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still represent lifetime returns relative to CA's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $34,672, the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential.

Azimuth ranks University of the Pacific #57 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. While institution-level earnings track CA's regional labor market, specific programs deliver materially stronger outcomes.

Azimuth ranks Interdisciplinary Studies #1 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with graduates earning median earnings of $171,261 — 3.08x the national benchmark for the field. Computer Science also stands out, with Azimuth ranking it #33 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions and graduates earning median earnings of $147,511 — 1.38x the benchmark.

Biological Sciences is the dominant program family, accounting for 15% of degree output, followed by Engineering at 9% and Social Sciences at 5%. Among the most popular programs, Biology, General program graduates 138 students annually with median earnings of $83,012 four years out, while The Business Administration program graduates 98 students earning median earnings of $76,025.

The highest early-career earnings come from Interdisciplinary Studies, where graduates earn median earnings of $171,261, and Computer Science, where graduates earn median earnings of $147,511.

University of the Pacific's program mix is anchored in Biological Sciences, with additional strength in health-sciences and business-adjacent fields. Business accounts for 15% of graduates, Engineering represents 9%, and Social Sciences makes up 5% — a distribution that reflects the university's identity as a mid-sized private institution balancing pre-professional and liberal-arts pathways.

Across 35 programs serving roughly 841 students annually, 15 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold. The highest-earning programs cluster in health and applied sciences.

Interdisciplinary Studies leads with median earnings of $171,261 four years after enrollment from a cohort of 81 graduates, and Azimuth ranks the program #1 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Computer Science follows at $147,511 with 68 graduates, and Azimuth ranks it #33 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The Mechanical Engineering program graduates 17 students with median earnings of $99,573. Among the most popular programs, Biology, General graduates the largest cohort at 138 students with median earnings of $83,012, while The Business Administration program graduates 98 students and The Interdisciplinary Studies program graduates 81 students.

Several of University of the Pacific's biological-sciences programs are grad-school-dependent pathways where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory because a meaningful share of graduates continue to medical, dental, or graduate school. Health-sciences programs like Interdisciplinary Studies and Computer Science, by contrast, are high-mobility programs where graduates enter the workforce directly and earnings reflect [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) in their respective fields.

The [program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) provides additional context for how Azimuth evaluates these programs relative to national peers. ```