Graduate earnings are in line with similar institutions.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
Virginia Commonwealth University graduates demonstrate steady earnings progression through the early career period. Median earnings increase from $47,161 six years after enrollment to $54,212 at eight years, reaching $58,128 at ten years.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings align with peer institutions — outcomes are in line with similar schools.
Financial justification for the investment.
Healthy debt burden. Most graduates can manage $21,500 in debt with typical earnings.
Virginia Commonwealth University graduates carry median debt of $21,500, placing the institution at the 58.0th percentile nationally and slightly above the peer median of $20,000. Debt levels range from $7,750 at the 25th percentile to $27,000 at the 75th percentile, indicating most students borrow manageable amounts relative to their post-graduation earning potential.
Virginia Commonwealth University delivers above average return on educational investment through solid earnings outcomes achieved with manageable debt levels. The return index ranks at the 59.8th percentile nationally with above average performance, driven by graduates earning $58,128 ten years after enrollment compared to a peer median of $60,543.
Approximately 24.7% of Virginia Commonwealth University graduates continue to graduate or professional study, with high confidence in this estimate ba...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Virginia Commonwealth University's strongest earning programs demonstrate the institution's effectiveness across technical, business, and health fields. Artificial Intelligence leads at $96,632 with 76 graduates, while Mechanical Engineering produces $76,554 and Information Science delivers $73,990.
Adult Health Nursing provides strong healthcare outcomes at $72,428, and Business Commerce generates $60,623 while ranking #12 nationally. These high-performing programs contrast with more modest earning fields like Psychology at $44,078 and English at $39,808, reflecting the institution's comprehensive academic portfolio that serves diverse student interests and career goals while maintaining solid return performance across the spectrum of academic disciplines offered.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Virginia Commonwealth University's earnings distribution spans from $37,933 at the 25th percentile to $84,890 at the 75th percentile, creating a 2.2:1 ratio that reflects varied career outcomes across programs and individual choices. Low-income graduates earn $51,000, demonstrating the institution's effectiveness in supporting economic mobility for students from lower-income backgrounds.
