Virginia Commonwealth University

https://www.vcu.edu/

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2019 Undergraduate Tuition

$12,177

0% growth from 2018

2019 Average Net Price

$20,968

After Financial Aid

2017 Student Loan

4.52%

Default Rate

2019 Acceptance Rate

87.1%

17,088 Applicants

2019 Enrolled Students

29,757

83.3% Full-Time

2018 Graduation Rate

67.1%

2,374 Graduates

About

Virginia Commonwealth University is a higher education institution located in Richmond city, VA. In 2016, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Virginia Commonwealth University were General Psychology (531 degrees awarded), General Business (372 degrees), and Health Teacher Education (361 degrees).

In 2019, 7,878 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Virginia Commonwealth University. 61.8% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 38.2% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (4,160 degrees), 3.43 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (1212 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Virginia Commonwealth University is $12,177, which is $−16,323 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

Photo by Tom Woodward

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Virginia Commonwealth University is $12,177, which is $−16,323 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $20,968.

In 2019, 54% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 48% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$12,177

2019 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2019, the cost of tuition at Virginia Commonwealth University was $12,177. The cost of tuition at Virginia Commonwealth University is $−16,323 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Virginia Commonwealth University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$20,968

2019 Value

0.34%

1 Year Growth

In 2019 Virginia Commonwealth University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $20,968. Between 2018 and 2019, the average net price of Virginia Commonwealth University grew by 0.34%.

This chart compares the average net price of Virginia Commonwealth University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$11,506

Room and Board

$2,860

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Virginia Commonwealth University was of $11,506 in 2019. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $2,860. The cost of room and board did not change between 2018 and 2019. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Virginia Commonwealth University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid

Financial Aid by Income Level

54%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

48%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

54% of undergraduate students at Virginia Commonwealth University received grants or loans in 2019. This represents a decline of 1.82% with respect to 2018, when 55% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Virginia Commonwealth University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

4.52%

2017 Default Rate

285

Number of Defaults

In 2017 the default rate for borrower's at Virginia Commonwealth University was 4.52%, which represents 285 out of the 6309 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Virginia Commonwealth University received 17,088 undergraduate applications in 2019, which represents a 3.26% annual growth. Out of those 17,088 applicants, 14,890 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 87.1% acceptance rate.

There were 29,757 students enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2019, and 87% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Virginia Commonwealth University has an overall enrollment yield of 29.6%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

87.1%

Acceptance Rate in 2019

14,890

Accepted Out of 17,088

In 2019, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Virginia Commonwealth University was 87.1% (14,890 admissions from 17,088 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2018, which was 86.2%. Between 2018 and 2019, the number of applicants grew by 3.26%, while admissions grew by 4.32%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Virginia Commonwealth University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

87%

Submission Percentage

3,816

Scores Submitted

87% of enrolled first-time students at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2019 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Virginia Commonwealth University has a total enrollment of 29,757 students. The full-time enrollment at Virginia Commonwealth University is 24,782 students and the part-time enrollment is 4,975. This means that 83.3% of students enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Virginia Commonwealth University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 45.8% White, 17.5% Black or African American, 13.3% Asian, 9.2% Hispanic or Latino, 6.31% Two or More Races, 0.185% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0739% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (25.6%), followed by White Male (17%) and Black or African American Female (12.9%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (30.8%), followed by White Male (18.6%) and Asian Female (8.84%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

83.3%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Virginia Commonwealth University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 29,757 students. The full-time enrollment at Virginia Commonwealth University is 24,782 and the part-time enrollment is 4,975. This means that 83.3% of students enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.6% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Virginia Commonwealth University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

83%

2019 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Virginia Commonwealth University was 83%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (83%), Virginia Commonwealth University had a retention rate approximately the same as its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Virginia Commonwealth University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
13,622
Black or African American
5,206
Asian
3,958

The enrolled student population at Virginia Commonwealth University is 45.8% White, 17.5% Black or African American, 13.3% Asian, 9.2% Hispanic or Latino, 6.31% Two or More Races, 0.185% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0739% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 50.3% White, 14.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.48% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1,108 students (3.72%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2019, 1864 more women than men received degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Virginia Commonwealth University is white (4,160 degrees awarded). There were 3.43 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (1212 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Virginia Commonwealth University is General Psychology (531 degrees awarded), followed by General Business (372 degrees) and Health Teacher Education (361 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at Virginia Commonwealth University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Cultural & Gender Studies (87 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (663 degrees), and Physical Sciences (188 degrees).

Workforce

Common Jobs by Major

Physicians

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Virginia Commonwealth University are Physicians (460,073 people), Other managers (246,747 people), Postsecondary teachers (239,172 people), Social workers, all other (172,163 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (159,986 people).

The most specialized majors at Virginia Commonwealth University are Cultural & Gender Studies (87 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (663 degrees), Physical Sciences (188 degrees), Public Administration and Social Service (335 degrees), and Biology (549 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Virginia Commonwealth University are Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Surgeons, Physicians, Public relations specialists, and Actuaries

Common Industries by Major

General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Virginia Commonwealth University are General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (552,927 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (536,468 people), Elementary & secondary schools (437,797 people), Offices of physicians (245,536 people), and Scientific research & development services (189,437 people).

Degrees

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Virginia Commonwealth University.

Most Common

General Psychology
531 degree-majorss awarded
General Business
372 degree-majorss awarded
Health Teacher Education
361 degree-majorss awarded

In 2019, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Virginia Commonwealth University was General Psychology with 531 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Virginia Commonwealth University according to their major.

Gender Breakdown for Common Majors

3,007

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2019

4,871

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2019

In 2019, 3,007 degrees were awarded to men at Virginia Commonwealth University, which is 0.617 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (4,871).

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 majors at Virginia Commonwealth University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2019, 305 degrees were awarded to men at Virginia Commonwealth University in General Business, which is 1.36 times more than the 225 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2019, 430 degrees were awarded to women at Virginia Commonwealth University in General Psychology, which is 3.41 times more than the 126 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

39%

100% Completion Time

63%

150% Completion Time

In 2019, 39% of students graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 63% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 66% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Diversity

Graduation Rate by Race and Gender

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Female

Highest Graduation Rate (87.5%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Virginia Commonwealth University is Female and American Indian or Alaska Native (87.5% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (69.1%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1.35% of graduates (32 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
4,160 degrees awarded
Black or African American
1,212 degrees awarded
Asian
998 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Virginia Commonwealth University is white (4,160 degrees awarded). There were 3.43 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (1212 degrees).

2.73% of degree recipients (215 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

White Female
2,576 degrees awarded
White Male
1,584 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
837 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at Virginia Commonwealth University is white female (2,576 degrees awarded). There were 1.63 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1,584 degrees).

Operations

Virginia Commonwealth University has an endowment valued at nearly $2.04B, as of the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $20.5M (1%), compared to the 4.24% average return ($13.2M on $311M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2019, Virginia Commonwealth University had a total salary expenditure of $1.14B. Virginia Commonwealth University employs 498 Assistant professors, 392 Associate professors, and 206 Professors. Most academics at Virginia Commonwealth University are Female Assistant professors (263), Male Assistant professors(235), and Female Associate professors (200).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Virginia Commonwealth University are: Management, with 868 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 555 employees, and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 493 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$2.04B

2019 Endowment

4.67%

growth from 2018

Virginia Commonwealth University has an endowment valued at about $2.04B, as of the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The endowment of Virginia Commonwealth University grew 4.67% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $1.73B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Virginia Commonwealth University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$155M - Federal
$9.4M - State
$711k - Local

As of 2019, Virginia Commonwealth University received $155M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $9.4M from state grants and contracts, and $711k from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$527M

2019 Salaries

4.74%

growth from 2018

In 2019, Virginia Commonwealth University paid a median of $527M in salaries, which represents 46% of their overall expenditure ($1.14B) and a 4.74% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 4.49% growth from 2017 and a 3.1% growth from 2016.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.4% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$125M

Instructional Salaries

1,278

Number of Employees

In 2019, Virginia Commonwealth University paid a total of $125M to 1,278 employees working as instructors, which represents 23.8% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71.1M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Assistant professor

Most Common Instructor

498 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

868 Employees

In 2019, the most common positions for instructional staff at Virginia Commonwealth University were Assistant professor with 498 employees; Associate professor with 392 employees; and Associate professor with 206 employees.

In 2019, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Virginia Commonwealth University were Management with 868 employees; Office and Administrative Support with 555 employees; and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 493 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

Female Assistant professor
Male Assistant professor
Female Associate professor

In 2019, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Virginia Commonwealth University was Female Assistant professor with 263 employees, Male Assistant professor with 235 employees, and Female Associate professor with 200 employees.

This chart shows the gender split between each academic rank present at Virginia Commonwealth University.

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