Virginia Commonwealth University

www.vcu.edu/

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2020 Undergraduate Tuition

$12,179

0.0164% growth from 2019

2020 Average Net Price

$20,566

After Financial Aid

2018 Student Loan

2.68%

Default Rate

2020 Acceptance Rate

90.6%

17,253 Applicants

2020 Enrolled Students

29,070

81.5% Full-Time

2020 Graduation Rate

66.1%

2,324 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 (449 degrees awarded), Health Teacher Education (357 degrees), and General Business (354 degrees).

In 2020, 7,550 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Virginia Commonwealth University. 61.7% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 38.3% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (3,775 degrees), 3.2 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (1179 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Virginia Commonwealth University is $12,179, which is $−16,450 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,629).

Photo by Tom Woodward

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Virginia Commonwealth University is $12,179, which is $−16,450 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,629).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $20,566.

In 2020, 59% of undergraduate students attending Virginia Commonwealth University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 47% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$12,179

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2020, the cost of tuition at Virginia Commonwealth University was $12,179. The cost of tuition at Virginia Commonwealth University is $−16,450 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,629).

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

Average Net Price

$20,566

2020 Value

1.92%

1 Year Growth

In 2020 Virginia Commonwealth University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $20,566. Between 2019 and 2020, the average net price of Virginia Commonwealth University grew by 1.92%.

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 2020. 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 2019 and 2020. 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

59%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

47%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

59% of undergraduate students at Virginia Commonwealth University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020. This represents a growth of 9.26% with respect to 2019, when 54% 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.

2.68%

2018 Default Rate

168

Number of Defaults

In 2018 the default rate for borrower's at Virginia Commonwealth University was 2.68%, which represents 168 out of the 6276 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 17,253 undergraduate applications in 2020, which represents a 0.966% annual growth. Out of those 17,253 applicants, 15,632 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 90.6% acceptance rate.

There were 29,070 students enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2020, and 85% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Virginia Commonwealth University has an overall enrollment yield of 24%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

90.6%

Acceptance Rate in 2020

15,632

Accepted Out of 17,253

In 2020, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Virginia Commonwealth University was 90.6% (15,632 admissions from 17,253 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2019, which was 87.1%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants grew by 0.966%, while admissions grew by 4.98%.

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

SAT Scores

85%

Submission Percentage

3,202

Scores Submitted

85% of enrolled first-time students at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2020 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 29,070 students. The full-time enrollment at Virginia Commonwealth University is 23,696 students and the part-time enrollment is 5,374. This means that 81.5% 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% White, 18.1% Black or African American, 13.6% Asian, 9.49% Hispanic or Latino, 6.55% Two or More Races, 0.138% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0619% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (25.2%), followed by White Male (16.2%) and Black or African American Female (13.4%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (30.6%), followed by White Male (18.8%) and Asian Female (8.5%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

81.5%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Virginia Commonwealth University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 29,070 students. The full-time enrollment at Virginia Commonwealth University is 23,696 and the part-time enrollment is 5,374. This means that 81.5% of students enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.4% 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%

2020 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 (84.5%), Virginia Commonwealth University had a retention rate lower than 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
13,090
Black or African American
5,256
Asian
3,954

The enrolled student population at Virginia Commonwealth University is 45% White, 18.1% Black or African American, 13.6% Asian, 9.49% Hispanic or Latino, 6.55% Two or More Races, 0.138% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0619% 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 49.8% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.74% 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, 1,067 students (3.67%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2020, 1766 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 (3,775 degrees awarded). There were 3.2 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (1179 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Virginia Commonwealth University is General Psychology (449 degrees awarded), followed by Health Teacher Education (357 degrees) and General Business (354 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 (79 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (604 degrees), and Public Administration and Social Service (329 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 (441,346 people), Postsecondary teachers (240,654 people), Other managers (233,392 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (187,743 people), and Social workers, all other (153,306 people).

The most specialized majors at Virginia Commonwealth University are Cultural & Gender Studies (79 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (604 degrees), Public Administration and Social Service (329 degrees), Biology (554 degrees), and Physical Sciences (160 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

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 Surgeons, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Physicians, Aircraft pilots & flight engineers, and Derrick, rotary drill, & service unit operators, & roustabouts, oil, gas, & mining

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 (569,714 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (506,809 people), Elementary & secondary schools (427,506 people), Offices of physicians (217,363 people), and Scientific research & development services (181,001 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
449 degree-majorss awarded
Health Teacher Education
357 degree-majorss awarded
General Business
354 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Virginia Commonwealth University was General Psychology with 449 degrees awarded.

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

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

2,892

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2020

4,658

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2020

In 2020, 2,892 degrees were awarded to men at Virginia Commonwealth University, which is 0.621 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (4,658).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2020, 295 degrees were awarded to men at Virginia Commonwealth University in General Business, which is 1.32 times more than the 224 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2020, 378 degrees were awarded to women at Virginia Commonwealth University in General Psychology, which is 4.06 times more than the 93 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

44%

100% Completion Time

67%

150% Completion Time

In 2020, 44% of students graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 67% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 69% 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 Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (76.8%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Virginia Commonwealth University is Female and Asian (76.8% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.4%).

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, 0.947% of graduates (22 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
3,775 degrees awarded
Black or African American
1,179 degrees awarded
Asian
915 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Virginia Commonwealth University is white (3,775 degrees awarded). There were 3.2 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (1179 degrees).

4.44% of degree recipients (335 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic

White Female
2,272 degrees awarded
White Male
1,503 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
816 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Virginia Commonwealth University is white female (2,272 degrees awarded). There were 1.51 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1,503 degrees).

Operations

Virginia Commonwealth University has an endowment valued at nearly $1.99B, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $17.9M (0.899%), compared to the 3.48% average return ($10.5M on $302M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2020, Virginia Commonwealth University had a total salary expenditure of $1.18B. Virginia Commonwealth University employs 498 Assistant professors, 423 Associate professors, and 217 Professors. Most academics at Virginia Commonwealth University are Female Assistant professors (265), Male Assistant professors(233), and Female Associate professors (218).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Virginia Commonwealth University are: Management, with 808 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 521 employees, and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 478 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$1.99B

2020 Endowment

2.46%

decline from 2019

Virginia Commonwealth University has an endowment valued at about $1.99B, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The endowment of Virginia Commonwealth University declined 2.46% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $1.69B 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

$166M - Federal
$12.8M - State
$1.05M - Local

As of 2020, Virginia Commonwealth University received $166M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $12.8M from state grants and contracts, and $1.05M from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$545M

2020 Salaries

3.52%

growth from 2019

In 2020, Virginia Commonwealth University paid a median of $545M in salaries, which represents 46.3% of their overall expenditure ($1.18B) and a 3.52% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 4.74% growth from 2018 and a 4.49% growth from 2017.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 238M (43% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$124M

Instructional Salaries

1,250

Number of Employees

In 2020, Virginia Commonwealth University paid a total of $124M to 1,250 employees working as instructors, which represents 22.7% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $69.9M (29.4%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Assistant professor

Most Common Instructor

498 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

808 Employees

In 2020, the most common positions for instructional staff at Virginia Commonwealth University were Assistant professor with 498 employees; Associate professor with 423 employees; and Associate professor with 217 employees.

In 2020, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Virginia Commonwealth University were Management with 808 employees; Office and Administrative Support with 521 employees; and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 478 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic

Female Assistant professor
Male Assistant professor
Female Associate professor

In 2020, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Virginia Commonwealth University was Female Assistant professor with 265 employees, Male Assistant professor with 233 employees, and Female Associate professor with 218 employees.

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

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