Virginia Union University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Richmond, Virginia. It enrolls 1,203 students (a small, tight-knit 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
58/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes13
Value57
Affordability89
Selectivity2
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Virginia Union University admits 98% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
98%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
850 – 885
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
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 Virginia Union University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
34.6 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 $13,235 a year on average, it sits below what private nonprofit 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
$17,450
Room & Board (on-campus)
$11,016
Room & Board (off-campus)
$14,580
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$8,144
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$13,592
Total Cost of Attendance
$29,075
Application fee: $25 (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
$11,424
$30,001 – $48,000
$12,372
$48,001 – $75,000
$14,420
$75,001 – $110,000
$21,362
Over $110,000
$18,301
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.
$4,75010%percentile
$6,25025%percentile
$29,000Medianpercentile
$29,41975%percentile
$40,00090%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 $23,625
↓ $5,375
No Pell $18,250
↓ $10,750
Dependent students $24,000
↓ $5,000
Independent students $15,250
↓ $13,750
Female students $25,000
↓ $4,000
Male students $19,250
↓ $9,750
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $14,000, less than completers ($29,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
29% of students who start here finish within six years, and 65% 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
29%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
65%
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 $38,275 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)
$38,275
Earning > $25K
67%
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
$34,500
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$33,800
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$32,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$35,800
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$34,400
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
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 ↑
17.0 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Concerning. Only 41% of graduates are actively reducing principal even seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,203 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 41% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
1,203
Part-Time
6%
First-Generation
41%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Black 75.4%907
Other 2.7%33
Hispanic 1.3%16
International 1.3%15
White 0.6%7
Asian 0.3%4
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Virginia Union University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Virginia Union University offers
a varied set of programs:
32 distinct programs across
16 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 22 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.
Student : Faculty
22:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$74M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$50,843
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
55 instructional faculty across 3 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
11
20%
$53,727
Associate Professors
17
31%
$67,861
Assistant Professors
27
49%
$38,953
Pros & Cons of Virginia Union University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Virginia Union 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
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for:
Based on the data, Virginia Union University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Virginia Union University
The questions families ask most about Virginia Union University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Virginia Union University hard to get into?
Not especially. Virginia Union University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 98%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Virginia Union University?
98% 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 Virginia Union University?
Aim for 885 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 850 and 885 (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.
How much does Virginia Union University cost?
Budget around $13,235 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 Virginia Union University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $38,275 a year against a net price of $13,235, about 2.9 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 Virginia Union University known for?
Mostly Theology, Business Administration, Theology. 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 Virginia Union University graduates earn?
About $38,275 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 Virginia Union University accredited?
Yes. Virginia Union University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Virginia Union University?
1,203 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 Virginia Union University?
29% 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 Virginia Union University 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 Virginia Union University located?
Virginia Union University is located in Richmond, Virginia.
What programs does Virginia Union University offer?
32 different programs, most commonly Theology, Business Administration, Theology. 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 Virginia Union University?
22 students per instructor. On the high side, so expect big classes and to seek out contact time yourself. 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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