Solid graduate outcomes with earnings above the peer average.
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 Tech graduates experience steady earnings growth throughout their early careers. Median earnings rise from $67,377 six years after enrollment to $75,717 at eight years and $81,698 at ten years, representing 21.3% growth from the six-year mark.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Strong relative performance — graduates earn notably more than peers at comparable institutions.
Financial justification for the investment.
Excellent affordability. Median debt of $21,500 is well under annual earnings, enabling comfortable repayment.
Virginia Tech graduates carry median debt of $21,500, with debt levels ranging from $11,000 at the 25th percentile to $28,000 at the 75th percentile. The median debt level ranks at the 58th percentile nationally, placing it above average but within manageable ranges for most graduates.
Virginia Tech demonstrates well above average return performance, ranking at the 88.4th percentile nationally for return on educational investment. Graduates earn $81,698 at ten years, placing Virginia Tech at the 94th percentile for median earnings and $21,155 above the peer median of $60,543.
Approximately 23.4% of Virginia Tech graduates continue to graduate or professional study, indicating balanced preparation for both immediate workforc...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Virginia Tech's strongest earning programs cluster in engineering and applied sciences, with Artificial Intelligence graduates earning $116,372 and Computer Engineering producing $107,350 median salaries. Actuarial Science leads business programs at $95,280, while Industrial Engineering reaches $92,826.
These technical programs drive Virginia Tech's overall strong return performance, though traditional liberal arts fields like Biology and Psychology show more modest outcomes around $47,097. The program diversity supports different career paths while maintaining the university's overall reputation for strong employment outcomes.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Earnings outcomes show meaningful variation across Virginia Tech's program portfolio. The gap between the 25th percentile ($53,415) and 75th percentile ($113,356) represents a 2.1:1 ratio, reflecting differences between high-earning STEM programs and more modest liberal arts outcomes.
