Virginia Commonwealth University

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2017 Undergraduate Tuition

$10,972

1.16% growth from 2016

2017 Average Net Price

$20,741

After Financial Aid

2016 Student Loan

4.15%

Default Rate

2017 Acceptance Rate

83.9%

15,248 Applicants

2017 Enrolled Students

30,675

81.9% Full-Time

2017 Graduation Rate

62.6%

2,320 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 (555 degrees awarded), General Biological Sciences (354 degrees), and General Business (330 degrees).

In 2017, 7,829 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Virginia Commonwealth University. 59.5% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 40.5% awarded men. The majority of degree recipients were white (4,360 degrees), 3.82 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (1141 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Virginia Commonwealth University is $10,972, which is $-15,528 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

Photo by Tom Woodward

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Virginia Commonwealth University is $10,972, which is $-15,528 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $20,741.

In 2017, 56% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 50% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$10,972

2017 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2017, the cost of tuition at Virginia Commonwealth University was $10,972. The cost of tuition at Virginia Commonwealth University is $-15,528 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

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

Average Net Price

$20,741

2017 Value

0.959%

1 Year Growth

In 2017 Virginia Commonwealth University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $20,741. Between 2016 and 2017, the average net price of Virginia Commonwealth University grew by 0.959%.

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

$11,280

Room and Board

$2,804

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Virginia Commonwealth University was of $11,280 in 2017. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $2,804. The cost of room and board did not change between 2016 and 2017. 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

56%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

50%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

56% of undergraduate students at Virginia Commonwealth University received grants or loans in 2017. This represents a growth of 1.82% with respect to 2016, 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.

4.15%

2016 Default Rate

271

Number of Defaults

In 2016 the default rate for borrower's at Virginia Commonwealth University was 4.15%, which represents 271 out of the 6532 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 15,248 undergraduate applications in 2017, which represents a 2.44% annual decline. Out of those 15,248 applicants, 12,793 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 83.9% acceptance rate.

There were 30,675 students enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2017, and 85% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Virginia Commonwealth University has an overall enrollment yield of 32.3%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

83.9%

Acceptance Rate in 2017

12,793

Accepted Out of 15,248

In 2017, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Virginia Commonwealth University was 83.9% (12,793 admissions from 15,248 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2016, which was 81.2%. Between 2016 and 2017, the number of applicants declined by -2.44%, while admissions grew by 0.867%.

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

SAT Scores

85%

Submission Percentage

3,524

Scores Submitted

85% of enrolled first-time students at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2017 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 30,675 students. The full-time enrollment at Virginia Commonwealth University is 25,122 students and the part-time enrollment is 5,553. This means that 81.9% of students enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Virginia Commonwealth University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 48.9% White, 17.3% Black or African American, 12.7% Asian, 7.64% Hispanic or Latino, 5.49% Two or More Races, 0.228% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.117% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University in full-time Undergraduate programs are majority White Female (26.7%), followed by White Male (19%) and Black or African American Female (12.5%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are majority White Female (31.7%), followed by White Male (21.6%) and Asian Female (8.55%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

81.9%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Virginia Commonwealth University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 30,675 students. The full-time enrollment at Virginia Commonwealth University is 25,122 and the part-time enrollment is 5,553. This means that 81.9% of students enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University are enrolled full-time compared with 78% 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%

2017 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
15,012
Black or African American
5,299
Asian
3,882

The enrolled student population at Virginia Commonwealth University is 48.9% White, 17.3% Black or African American, 12.7% Asian, 7.64% Hispanic or Latino, 5.49% Two or More Races, 0.228% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.117% 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 51.5% White, 13.4% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.57% 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, 897 students (2.92%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2017, 1489 more women than men received degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University. The majority of degree recipients at Virginia Commonwealth University are white (4,360 degrees awarded). There were 3.82 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (1141 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Virginia Commonwealth University is General Psychology (555 degrees awarded), followed by General Biological Sciences (354 degrees) and General Business (330 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 (110 degrees awarded), Interdisciplinary Studies (398 degrees), and Visual & Performing Arts (584 degrees).

Workforce

Common Jobs by Major

Other managers

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 Other managers (256,491 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (222,069 people), Postsecondary teachers (210,148 people), Physicians (143,891 people), and Secondary school teachers (119,997 people).

The most specialized majors at Virginia Commonwealth University are Cultural & Gender Studies (110 degrees awarded), Interdisciplinary Studies (398 degrees), Visual & Performing Arts (584 degrees), Physical Sciences (185 degrees), and Psychology (598 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, Computer hardware engineers, and Chief executives & legislators

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

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 Elementary & secondary schools (629,346 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (460,407 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (324,889 people), Computer Systems Design (191,775 people), and Outpatient care centers (184,739 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
555 degree-majorss awarded
General Biological Sciences
354 degree-majorss awarded
General Business
330 degree-majorss awarded

In 2017, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Virginia Commonwealth University was General Psychology with 555 degree-majorss 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

Degrees Awarded to Men

3,170
4,659

In 2017, 3,170 degrees were awarded to men at Virginia Commonwealth University, which is 0.68 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (4,659).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2017, 298 degrees were awarded to men at Virginia Commonwealth University in General Business, which is 1.39 times more than the 214 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2017, 470 degrees were awarded to women at Virginia Commonwealth University in General Psychology, which is 4.23 times more than the 111 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

37%

100% Completion Time

62%

150% Completion Time

In 2017, 37% of students graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 62% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 65% 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.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (71.2%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Virginia Commonwealth University is Female and Asian (71.2% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (68.1%).

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, 3.19% of graduates (74 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
4,360 degrees awarded
Black or African American
1,141 degrees awarded
Asian
895 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Virginia Commonwealth University is white (4,360 degrees awarded). There were 3.82 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (1141 degrees).

2.54% of degree recipients (199 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

White Female
2,564 degrees awarded
White Male
1,796 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
777 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at Virginia Commonwealth University is white female (2,564 degrees awarded). There were 1.43 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1,796 degrees).

Operations

Virginia Commonwealth University has an endowment valued at nearly $1.84B, as of the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $20.8M (1.13%), compared to the 5.91% average return ($16.9M on $287M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2017, Virginia Commonwealth University had a total salary expenditure of $1.07B. Virginia Commonwealth University employs 494 Assistant professors, 373 Associate professors, and 212 Professors. Most academics at Virginia Commonwealth University are Female Assistant professors (270), Male Assistant professors(224), and Male Associate professors (187).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Virginia Commonwealth University are: Computer, Engineering, and Science, with 533 employees, Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services, with 528 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 491 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$1.84B

2017 Endowment

203%

growth from 2016

Virginia Commonwealth University has an endowment valued at about $1.84B, as of the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The endowment of Virginia Commonwealth University grew 203% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $1.56B 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

$162M - Federal
$5.62M - State
$645k - Local

As of 2017, Virginia Commonwealth University received $162M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $5.62M from state grants and contracts, and $645k from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$481M

2017 Salaries

3.1%

growth from 2016

In 2017, Virginia Commonwealth University paid a median of $481M in salaries, which represents 44.9% of their overall expenditure ($1.07B) and a 3.1% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 4.51% growth from 2015 and a 2.97% growth from 2014.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 215M (42.7% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$115M

Instructional Salaries

1,262

Number of Employees

In 2017, Virginia Commonwealth University paid a total of $115M to 1,262 employees working as instructors, which represents 23.9% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $64.9M (30.2%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Assistant professor

Most Common Instructor

494 Employees

Computer, Engineering, and Science

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

533 Employees

In 2017, the most common positions for instructional staff at Virginia Commonwealth University were Assistant professor with 494 employees; Associate professor with 373 employees; and Associate professor with 212 employees.

In 2017, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Virginia Commonwealth University were Computer, Engineering, and Science with 533 employees; Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 528 employees; and Office and Administrative Support with 491 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

Female Assistant professor
Male Assistant professor
Male Associate professor

In 2017, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Virginia Commonwealth University was Female Assistant professor with 270 employees, Male Assistant professor with 224 employees, and Male Associate professor with 187 employees.

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

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