10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$140,130at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
University of Virginia-Main Campus
Charlottesville, VA · 67 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 65 · Federal debt reported for 39
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Positive payoff
+$140,130 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
6.6 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
+53%Estimated return after 10 years
$85,639Observed earnings · year 5
$56,598Highest annual price before payoff reaches $0
The price benchmark is $35,033 per year below this threshold.
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $14,800 housing and food allowance plus $3,720 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$226,390
$16,000Annual price+$162,390
$22,000Current college-wide context+$138,390
$32,000Annual price+$98,390
$48,000Annual price+$34,390
$64,000Annual price−$29,610
$80,000Annual price−$93,610
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- Suburban
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
84 high-school students took college courses.
IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.
This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in Virginia run 1% above the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$21,565Average net price / year
$39,926Cost of attendance
$17,500Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$186/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$85,639Median earnings · year 5 after completion
95.6%Completion rate
16.8%Admission rate
1,480Average SAT score
34ACT midpoint
17,597Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about University of Virginia-Main Campus
What does University of Virginia-Main Campus cost?
University of Virginia-Main Campus reports an average annual net price of $21,565 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do University of Virginia-Main Campus graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $85,639 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do University of Virginia-Main Campus graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $17,500. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at University of Virginia-Main Campus worth the same?
No. The current release contains 67 field-and-degree records for University of Virginia-Main Campus; 65 report year-4 earnings and 39 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
29,835Students enrolled at any point
19,242Undergraduate students
10,593Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
90% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
612 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
80% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$77,350Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$85,406Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$90,793Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income79%
Middle income85%
Higher income88%
Undergraduate student composition
White49%
Black8%
Hispanic8%
Asian20%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW
How earnings develop by field
Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.
Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Doctoral, professional practice · Broad federal field 51
$69,130Year 1
$127,191Year 5
$328,162Year 10
Computer Programming.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$126,762Year 1
$168,910Year 5
$247,941Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$158,479Year 1
$192,740Year 5
$239,725Year 10
Law.Doctoral, professional practice · Broad federal field 22
$216,016Year 1
$229,699Year 5
$218,670Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$102,672Year 1
$163,431Year 5
$213,658Year 10
Computer Programming.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$122,445Year 1
$178,322Year 5
$189,965Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 14
$100,759Year 1
$141,451Year 5
$169,636Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 14
$93,246Year 1
$132,172Year 5
$158,102Year 10
Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$64,471Year 1
$91,448Year 4
$85,639Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Law · First Professional Degree$284,3092Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$224,2293Management Information Systems and Services · Master's Degree$180,3124Business/Commerce, General · Master's Degree$180,1175Systems Engineering · Master's Degree$152,8546Computer Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$148,1757Systems Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$144,8308Business/Commerce, General · Bachelor's Degree$142,113Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1LawFirst Professional Degree · $284,309 reported+164%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree · $224,229 reported+117%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Business/Commerce, GeneralBachelor's Degree · $142,113 reported+108%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt4Public Administration and Social Service Professions, OtherBachelor's Degree · $109,851 reported+78%vs same-degree national median$20,362federal debt5Management Information Systems and ServicesMaster's Degree · $180,312 reported+70%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt6Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsBachelor's Degree · $139,095 reported+61%vs same-degree national median$18,347federal debt
Comparable colleges in VA
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Blacksburg, VA
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Annual net price
- $24,953
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $80,730
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +28%
Virginia Military Institute
- Annual net price
- $17,113
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $79,378
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +38%
George Mason University
- Annual net price
- $17,915
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $75,373
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +21%
William & Mary
- Annual net price
- $19,096
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $71,273
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +2%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 67 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law | First Professional Degree | $284,309 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $224,229 | Not available | Not reported |
| Management Information Systems and Services | Master's Degree | $180,312 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business/Commerce, General | Master's Degree | $180,117 | Not available | Not reported |
| Systems Engineering | Master's Degree | $152,854 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $148,175 | $16,875 | Not reported |
| Systems Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $144,830 | $19,500 | Not reported |
| Business/Commerce, General | Bachelor's Degree | $142,113 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $142,041 | $17,783 | Not reported |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $139,095 | $18,347 | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Doctoral Degree | $133,752 | Not available | 26 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | Master's Degree | $127,420 | Not available | Not reported |
| International Business | Master's Degree | $117,994 | Not available | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $117,392 | Not available | Not reported |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $110,773 | $19,000 | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $110,468 | Not available | Not reported |
| Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $109,851 | $20,362 | Not reported |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $109,551 | $18,400 | Not reported |
| Statistics | Bachelor's Degree | $108,532 | $18,500 | Not reported |
| Chemical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $105,724 | $17,733 | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Master's Degree | $103,192 | Not available | Not reported |
| Engineering, General | Bachelor's Degree | $101,078 | Not available | Not reported |
| Public Policy Analysis | Master's Degree | $99,110 | Not available | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $98,871 | Not available | Not reported |
| Medicine | First Professional Degree | $97,806 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $94,881 | $24,250 | Not reported |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $92,024 | Not available | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $91,651 | $14,903 | Not reported |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $91,236 | $19,500 | Not reported |
| Education, General | Doctoral Degree | $89,240 | Not available | 20 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $86,653 | $15,130 | 8 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $85,681 | $14,214 | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $85,232 | Not available | 0 |
| Cognitive Science | Bachelor's Degree | $83,554 | $16,162 | Not reported |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $82,991 | $20,672 | Not reported |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | Master's Degree | $82,553 | Not available | Not reported |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $81,110 | $23,250 | Not reported |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $78,310 | $18,015 | Not reported |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $76,243 | $21,230 | Not reported |
| International/Globalization Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $76,044 | $19,500 | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every University of Virginia-Main Campus program record →Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.