10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$77,488at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA · 86 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 84 · Federal debt reported for 60
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Positive payoff
+$77,488 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
7.8 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
+28%Estimated return after 10 years
$80,730Observed earnings · year 5
$44,325Highest annual price before payoff reaches $0
The price benchmark is $19,372 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: $12,578 housing and food allowance plus $4,494 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+$177,300
$12,000Annual price+$129,300
$24,000Current college-wide context+$81,300
$25,000Current college-wide context+$77,300
$36,000Annual price+$33,300
$48,000Annual price−$14,700
$60,000Annual price−$62,700
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
- City
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- Land-grant institution
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
$24,953Average net price / year
$36,951Cost of attendance
$21,500Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$228/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$80,730Median earnings · year 5 after completion
86.2%Completion rate
54.8%Admission rate
1,364Average SAT score
29ACT midpoint
30,923Student 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 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
What does Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University cost?
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University reports an average annual net price of $24,953 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $80,730 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $21,500. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University worth the same?
No. The current release contains 86 field-and-degree records for Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; 84 report year-4 earnings and 60 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
40,946Students enrolled at any point
32,211Undergraduate students
8,735Graduate 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
83% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
2,049 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
75% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$74,427Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$77,618Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$84,932Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income70%
Middle income78%
Higher income84%
Undergraduate student composition
White57%
Black6%
Hispanic10%
Asian14%
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
Computer Programming.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 11
$152,758Year 1
$191,621Year 5
$199,462Year 10
Computer Programming.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$121,923Year 1
$152,383Year 5
$185,946Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 52
$165,855Year 1
$170,055Year 5
$171,456Year 10
Computer Programming.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$98,491Year 1
$149,139Year 5
$169,429Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 14
$104,709Year 1
$132,895Year 5
$164,497Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$91,891Year 1
$124,143Year 5
$163,789Year 10
Applied Mathematics.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 27
$92,948Year 1
$148,080Year 5
$148,080Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 14
$89,284Year 1
$117,358Year 5
$146,456Year 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
$59,604Year 1
$85,647Year 4
$80,730Year 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.
1Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$154,6882Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other · Master's Degree$148,0003Computer and Information Sciences, General · Bachelor's Degree$144,1034Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Master's Degree$130,0295Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences · Doctoral Degree$123,0786Computer Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$122,0267Mechanical Engineering · Master's Degree$119,8438Applied Mathematics · Bachelor's Degree$117,990Observed 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.
1Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's Degree · $144,103 reported+56%vs same-degree national median$20,500federal debt2Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree · $154,688 reported+49%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's Degree · $58,652 reported+42%vs same-degree national median$26,323federal debt4Design and Applied ArtsBachelor's Degree · $72,213 reported+40%vs same-degree national median$25,802federal debt5Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and ServicesBachelor's Degree · $68,263 reported+37%vs same-degree national median$22,500federal debt6Foods, Nutrition, and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree · $74,005 reported+35%vs same-degree national median$25,000federal 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.
Charlottesville, VA
University of Virginia-Main Campus
- Annual net price
- $21,565
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $85,639
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +53%
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%
James Madison University
- Annual net price
- $23,322
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $69,066
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -12%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 86 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $154,688 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other | Master's Degree | $148,000 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $144,103 | $20,500 | 1 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Master's Degree | $130,029 | Not available | Not reported |
| Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences | Doctoral Degree | $123,078 | Not available | 11 |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $122,026 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Master's Degree | $119,843 | Not available | Not reported |
| Applied Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $117,990 | $20,500 | Not reported |
| Industrial Engineering | Master's Degree | $117,338 | Not available | Not reported |
| Industrial Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $116,641 | $22,870 | 1 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | Master's Degree | $115,736 | Not available | Not reported |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $108,726 | $21,700 | Not reported |
| Materials Engineering | Master's Degree | $108,485 | Not available | Not reported |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $106,633 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| Chemical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $106,011 | $25,350 | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $104,839 | $25,849 | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $102,902 | $22,500 | 1 |
| Construction Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $102,699 | $26,698 | Not reported |
| Engineering Mechanics | Bachelor's Degree | $101,509 | $27,500 | 0 |
| Civil Engineering | Master's Degree | $99,698 | Not available | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $99,528 | $18,500 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $96,906 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $96,376 | $23,000 | Not reported |
| Real Estate | Bachelor's Degree | $95,576 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Business/Managerial Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $95,271 | Not available | Not reported |
| Construction Management | Bachelor's Degree | $95,165 | $27,000 | 0 |
| Medicine | First Professional Degree | $94,416 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $94,397 | $20,907 | Not reported |
| Statistics | Bachelor's Degree | $94,300 | $15,500 | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Doctoral Degree | $93,304 | Not available | 23 |
| Physics | Bachelor's Degree | $92,746 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $92,653 | $22,500 | 3 |
| Materials Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $90,828 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Public Administration | Master's Degree | $88,961 | Not available | 0 |
| Agricultural Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $88,315 | $26,625 | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $88,142 | $25,760 | Not reported |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $86,338 | $22,500 | Not reported |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | Master's Degree | $86,237 | Not available | Not reported |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | Master's Degree | $85,049 | Not available | Not reported |
| Curriculum and Instruction | Doctoral Degree | $84,607 | Not available | 19 |
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 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 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.