Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, Virginia · Public, a midsize city · 20,753 undergraduates
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Is it hard to get into VCU?
The middle half of admitted students scored in these ranges: a quarter scored lower, a quarter higher. Fall 2024 admissions, from the College Scorecard.
Acceptance rate
92.6%
19,052 applied
SAT, middle half
1010 to 1270
Reading plus math, out of 1600
ACT, middle half
22 to 30
Composite, out of 36
Test scores this year
Optional: considered if sent
Scores remain required for the Honors College Guaranteed Admission Programs.
- What they look at
- High school GPARequired
- Class rankConsidered
- Courses takenRequired
- College-prep programConsidered
- RecommendationsConsidered
- EssayRequired
- PortfolioRequired
How much does VCU cost?
Sticker prices and what students actually paid after grants, by family income. A year means tuition, fees, room, board, books and other costs.
Tuition and fees, Virginia residents
$17,490
Tuition and fees, out of state
$40,654
A full year, sticker price
$43,180
Living on campus
Average price after grants
$25,037
Students who got federal aid
What a year cost, by family income
| Family income | Average paid after grants |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $18,927 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $18,347 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $20,373 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $27,067 |
| Over $110,000 | $38,273 |
- Room and board on campus
- $19,862 a year
- Books and supplies
- $1,290 a year
- The school's own grants
- 99% of full-time first-years get one, averaging $6,925
Tuition over the years
Tuition and fees for a year, as reported to the federal government.
How much do VCU students borrow?
Federal student loans only, for students who borrowed.
Typical debt at graduation
$19,500
About $222 a month over ten years
Students who borrow
41.4%
Get a Pell Grant
35.8%
Federal grant for lower-income families
Over 25 when they start
9.1%
What do VCU graduates earn?
Typical yearly pay of everyone who started here with federal aid, whatever they studied and whether or not they finished.
Six years after starting
$51,760
Ten years after starting
$64,442
Middle half: $43,416 to $93,466
Best-paid program, five years out
$124,069
Computer Engineering
Lowest-paid program, five years out
$41,656
Fine and Studio Arts
Do VCU students finish?
Of the students who started full time, first time.
Back for second year
85.3%
Graduate in six years
64.7%
The four-year figure is for a later, smaller group, so it is not shown
After eight years
69% graduated
21% transferred, 1% still enrolled
Who goes to VCU?
Women
63.4%
First in their family at college
27.6%
Part-time
10.3%
Students per teacher
17
- Background
- White 39%, Hispanic 12%, Black 23%, Asian 14%, Two or more 8%, International 2%
- Housing
- Campus housing, 5,973 beds
What do VCU graduates earn, by program?
Every bachelor's program the school awards, with what its graduates earn and owe. The government hides pay for small programs, so some rows have no figure.
Computer science
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 253 | $82,745 | $119,988 | $18,827 |
| Information Science/Studies | 301 | $62,422 | $97,294 | $19,375 |
Engineering
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 90 | $50,122 | $89,093 | $15,363 |
| Chemical Engineering | 81 | $83,334 | $100,146 | $27,000 |
| Computer Engineering | 41 | $80,958 | $124,069 | $22,043 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 53 | $83,487 | $110,609 | $22,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 178 | $74,615 | $95,455 | $22,875 |
Business and commerce
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 133 | $62,986 | $85,399 | $22,125 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 445 | $54,755 | $73,575 | $16,410 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | 58 | $57,550 | $73,205 | $19,092 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 175 | $64,938 | Hidden | $18,020 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 3 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Marketing | 289 | $47,969 | $72,423 | $18,250 |
| Real Estate | 32 | $57,084 | $74,990 | Hidden |
Nursing
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 413 | $80,739 | $87,775 | $21,120 |
Health sciences and kinesiology
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 83 | $76,696 | $77,410 | $26,000 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | 70 | $72,444 | $79,454 | $16,125 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | 29 | $82,598 | $79,242 | $15,000 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 56 | Hidden | Hidden | $15,000 |
Life sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology, General | 682 | $35,052 | $63,702 | $19,500 |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 77 | $56,975 | Hidden | $15,250 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 118 | $39,999 | $53,999 | $20,125 |
Math and physical sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemistry | 186 | $45,179 | $69,729 | $19,674 |
| Mathematics | 59 | $59,078 | $73,680 | $14,086 |
| Physics | 26 | $67,201 | $80,367 | Hidden |
Arts and humanities
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language and Literature, General | 194 | $38,166 | $49,665 | $19,500 |
| History | 139 | $44,015 | $54,383 | $20,500 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 16 | $30,769 | $62,362 | Hidden |
| Philosophy | 43 | $33,002 | $44,615 | $19,750 |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 9 | Hidden | $44,928 | Hidden |
Education (teaching)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special Education and Teaching | 14 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 68 | $49,477 | Hidden | $21,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 640 | $40,189 | $63,393 | $20,500 |
Fine and performing arts
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry | 54 | $24,179 | $42,257 | $21,974 |
| Dance | 27 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Design and Applied Arts | 675 | $34,780 | $58,173 | $21,742 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 108 | $28,887 | $47,141 | $19,500 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 199 | $29,940 | $43,311 | $17,875 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 123 | $29,226 | $41,656 | $20,500 |
| Music | 84 | $37,008 | $46,299 | $25,502 |
General arts and science (major chosen later)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 147 | $42,836 | $65,414 | $22,375 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 333 | $48,106 | $55,787 | $20,000 |
Other programs
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Compare VCU with other universities
Side by side: acceptance rates, scores, costs and pay.
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Test policy: the school's page (opens in a new tab). Tuition history, housing and the school's own grants: the federal IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) survey.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with Virginia Commonwealth University. Figures describe past students; check the school's own pages before you apply.
Social sciences