Private Nonprofit Bachelor's Strong 80/100

Centra College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Lynchburg, Virginia

About Centra College

Thinking about Centra College, a college in Virginia where more students graduate in Health than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Centra College is a private nonprofit institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Lynchburg, Virginia. It enrolls 219 students (a very small, intimate student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
100%
Graduation
87.1%
Net Price
—
Median Earnings (10yr)
$60,122
Enrollment
219
Student : Faculty
6:1

Accreditor Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Strong
80/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 98
Value —
Affordability 59
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Centra College admits 100% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.

Acceptance Rate
100%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test Policy Test Optional Applicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Centra College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

81.8%202083.3%202140%2022100%2023

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. Centra College has not reported one, so ask the financial aid office for a written estimate before comparing it against anywhere else.

Average Net Price
—
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
47%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
69%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees
$12,983
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,424
Books & Supplies
$1,373
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$12,067

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$9,500
25% percentile
$15,250
Median percentile
$20,000
75% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $12,000 ↓ $3,250
No Pell $10,875 ↓ $4,375
Dependent students $8,125 ↓ $7,125
Independent students $14,750 ↓ $500
Female students $12,000 ↓ $3,250
Male students $12,667 ↓ $2,583
Pell recipients: 17.0% (2,599 students)No Pell: 15.4% (2,355 students)Dependent students: 11.5% (1,760 students)Independent students: 20.9% (3,194 students)Female students: 17.0% (2,599 students)Male students: 18.0% (2,743 students)Overall Median$15,250
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $3,668, less than completers ($15,250), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

87% of students who start here finish within six years, and 100% come back after first year. Most people who start here leave with the degree they came for. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
87%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
100%
Returning for their second year
What this means: Strong completion signals. Most students who start, finish.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $60,122 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$60,122
Earning > $25K
80%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$48,000$51,000$55,000$58,000$62,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Stable ↓ 1.3 pts across 6 years
76.9%1yr77.2%3yr75.6%5yr
What this signals: Strong. 76% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 219 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 56% are the first in their family to go to college, and 87% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.

Total Enrolled
219
Part-Time
87%
First-Generation
56%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 73.5% 161
Black 14.6% 32
Other 8.7% 19
Asian 1.4% 3
Hispanic 0.5% 1
White: 73.5% (161 students)Black: 14.6% (32 students)Other: 8.7% (19 students)Asian: 1.4% (3 students)Hispanic: 0.5% (1 students)Total219

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Centra College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Small City Lynchburg, Virginia
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
50% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

Centra College offers a focused set of programs: 3 distinct programs across 1 major. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

3 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 6 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.

Student : Faculty
6:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Avg Faculty Salary
$69,429
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

22 instructional faculty across 1 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
No Rank 22 100% $69,429

Pros & Cons of Centra College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Centra College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Accessible admissions for most applicants
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Strong six-year graduation rate
  • Strong first-year retention
  • Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Most students take on federal loans
  • No graduate programs offered at this institution
  • Narrow program catalog compared to mid-sized peers
  • Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for: Based on the data, Centra College is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Centra College

The questions families ask most about Centra College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Centra College hard to get into?
Not especially. Centra College admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 100%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Centra College?
100% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Centra College known for?
Mostly Nursing, Practical Nursing, Nursing. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Centra College graduates earn?
About $60,122 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Centra College accredited?
Yes. Centra College is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.
How many students attend Centra College?
219 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Centra College?
87% finish within six years. Most people who start here graduate, which is the signal you want. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Centra College a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Centra College located?
Centra College is located in Lynchburg, Virginia.
What programs does Centra College offer?
3 different programs, most commonly Nursing, Practical Nursing, Nursing. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Centra College?
6 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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