Northern Virginia Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Annandale, Virginia. It enrolls 33,048 students (a very large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
65/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes45
Value71
Affordability34
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Northern Virginia Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Northern Virginia Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $9,919 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$9,919
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
20%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
7%
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 (in-state)
$5,891
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$12,409
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,684
Books & Supplies
$1,800
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,260
Total Cost of Attendance
$17,153
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
$7,463
$30,001 – $48,000
$8,317
$48,001 – $75,000
$10,762
$75,001 – $110,000
$13,835
Over $110,000
$16,630
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.
$2,00010%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$11,000Medianpercentile
$12,00075%percentile
$20,75090%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 $7,000
↓ $4,000
No Pell $6,781
↓ $4,219
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $5,500
Independent students $9,500
↓ $1,500
Female students $7,353
↓ $3,647
Male students $6,335
↓ $4,665
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,962, less than completers ($11,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
19% of full-time students who enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College graduate within six years, and 71% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
19%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
71%
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
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Northern Virginia Community College earn a median of $53,557 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$53,557
Earning > $25K
75%
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
$43,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$52,200
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$45,000
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$49,300
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$52,500
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,500, about 16% 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 ↑
20.8 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 79% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Northern Virginia Community College is home to 33,048 students, a sprawling student community. Some distinctive traits: 41% are first-generation college students, 59% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
33,048
Part-Time
59%
First-Generation
41%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 30.6%10,126
White 25.0%8,269
Asian 15.3%5,060
Black 15.1%4,984
International 4.9%1,619
Other 4.8%1,600
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Northern Virginia Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbAnnandale, Virginia
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
18%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Northern Virginia Community College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
47 distinct programs across
23 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.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Northern Virginia Community College is 30:1, high (larger classes are common).
Student : Faculty
30:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$4,764
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$12M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$86,025
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
591 instructional faculty across 5 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
210
36%
$97,727
Associate Professors
155
26%
$87,616
Assistant Professors
125
21%
$78,758
Instructors
90
15%
$71,253
Lecturers
11
2%
$43,634
Pros & Cons of Northern Virginia Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Northern Virginia Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Wide variety of programs and student life
Solid post-graduation earnings
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Large institutional setting can feel impersonal
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Modest first-year retention
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Northern Virginia Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Northern Virginia Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Northern Virginia Community College.
Is Northern Virginia Community College hard to get into?
Northern Virginia Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Northern Virginia Community College?
Northern Virginia Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Northern Virginia Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Northern Virginia Community College is $9,919 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Northern Virginia Community College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $53,557 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $9,919 per year. That's roughly 5.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Northern Virginia Community College known for?
Northern Virginia Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Information Systems. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Northern Virginia Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Northern Virginia Community College are $53,557, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Northern Virginia Community College accredited?
Yes. Northern Virginia Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Northern Virginia Community College?
Northern Virginia Community College enrolls 33,048 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Northern Virginia Community College?
Northern Virginia Community College graduates 19% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Northern Virginia Community College a public or private college?
Northern Virginia Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Northern Virginia Community College located?
Northern Virginia Community College is located in Annandale, Virginia.
What programs does Northern Virginia Community College offer?
Northern Virginia Community College offers 47 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Information Systems.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Northern Virginia Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Northern Virginia Community College is 30:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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