Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, VA
910 W Franklin St, Richmond, VA 23284-2512
804-828-0100

Founded in 1838, Virginia Commonwealth University is a public research university located in Richmond, Virginia. The university comprises eight schools and one college, offering more than 200 degree programs to its 32,000 students. The university is also home to several research institutes and centers, including the VCU Massey Cancer Center, the VCU Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, and the VCU Center for the Study of Biological Complexity.

VCU was originally established as the medical department of Hampden-Sydney College, before becoming a standalone institution in 1854. The university underwent a period of significant growth in the early 20th century, adding a number of new schools and programs. In 1968, the university merged with Richmond Professional Institute, greatly expanding its size and scope. In the years since, VCU has continued to grow, adding new academic programs and facilities.

VCU is classified as a research university with high research activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The university is also ranked as one of the top 100 public universities in the United States by several measures. VCU is home to a number of notable alumni, including several politicians, businesspeople, and artists.



Quick Facts

Enrollment: 29070

Acceptance Rate: 90.60%

Type: Public, 4-year or above

Main Website: https://www.vcu.edu/

Financial Aid: https://www.finaid.vcu.edu/

Annual Costs

Total Cost In-State On-Campus: $32997

Total Cost Out-State On-Campus: $54335

Return on Investment Rating

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The estimated cost for four years as an undergraduate at Virginia Commonwealth University is $126419.70. This includes the average cost of attendance for four years plus the interest on the average loan over a ten year repayment minus the average of grants and scholarships per student.

We then contrast this figure with average early-career and mid-career average incomes of graduates of four year programs at Virginia Commonwealth University. For graduates of Virginia Commonwealth University, we saw an average early-career income of $53900.00 and mid-career income of $93000.00. We then ranked the school's value based on how many years of mid-career income it takes to repay the educational costs.