Longwood University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Farmville, Virginia. It enrolls 3,015 students (a mid-sized 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.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
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 Selective), 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.
Good
64/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes58
Value52
Affordability46
Selectivity23
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Longwood University admits 90.2% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
90.2%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1030 – 1210
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
19 – 26
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Longwood University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
5.1 pts
since 2019
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. At $19,066 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$15,744
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$27,978
Room & Board (on-campus)
$17,424
Room & Board (off-campus)
$17,424
Books & Supplies
$1,250
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,898
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,488
Total Cost of Attendance
$34,588
Application fee: $50 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$11,896
$30,001 – $48,000
$12,320
$48,001 – $75,000
$15,544
$75,001 – $110,000
$19,647
Over $110,000
$26,747
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.
$3,75010%percentile
$7,50025%percentile
$25,000Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$32,50090%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 $20,500
↓ $4,500
No Pell $16,805
↓ $8,195
Dependent students $19,500
↓ $5,500
Independent students $10,924
↓ $14,076
Female students $19,207
↓ $5,793
Male students $18,500
↓ $6,500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,250, less than completers ($25,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
18% of students who start here finish within six years, and 79% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. 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
18%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
79%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $52,347 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$52,347
Earning > $25K
83%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$40,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$53,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$44,300
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$45,200
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$45,600
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $13,200, about 24% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
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.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
12.5 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 94% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 3,015 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
3,015
Part-Time
3%
First-Generation
28%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 72.9%2,199
Black 9.5%287
Hispanic 7.2%218
Other 5.5%166
International 1.6%48
Asian 1.5%44
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Longwood University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Longwood University offers
a varied set of programs:
33 distinct programs across
19 majors.
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.
There are 14 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$15,286
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$95M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$78,511
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
232 instructional faculty across 4 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
Full Professors
60
26%
$93,365
Associate Professors
92
40%
$78,282
Assistant Professors
57
25%
$76,427
Lecturers
23
10%
$49,853
Pros & Cons of Longwood University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Longwood University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Best for:
Based on the data, Longwood University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Longwood University
The questions families ask most about Longwood University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Longwood University hard to get into?
Not especially. Longwood University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 90.2%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Longwood University?
90.2% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Longwood University?
Aim for 1210 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 1030 and 1210 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Longwood University?
Aim for 26 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 19 and 26 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Longwood University cost?
Budget around $19,066 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Longwood University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $52,347 a year against a net price of $19,066, about 2.7 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Longwood University known for?
Mostly Business Administration, Business Administration, Teacher Education (K-12). 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 Longwood University graduates earn?
About $52,347 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 Longwood University accredited?
Yes. Longwood University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Longwood University?
3,015 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Longwood University?
18% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Longwood University a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Longwood University located?
Longwood University is located in Farmville, Virginia.
What programs does Longwood University offer?
33 different programs, most commonly Business Administration, Business Administration, Teacher Education (K-12). 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 Longwood University?
14 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Virginia
Other colleges in Virginia share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
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