Private Nonprofit Graduate Good 59/100

Virginia Wesleyan University

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

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Virginia Beach, Virginia

About Virginia Wesleyan University

Thinking about Virginia Wesleyan University, a college in Virginia where more students graduate in Business 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.

Virginia Wesleyan University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It enrolls 1,256 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.

Acceptance
72.9%
Graduation
45.4%
Net Price
$19,676
Median Earnings (10yr)
$50,074
Enrollment
1,256
Student : Faculty
13:1

Accreditor Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic Calendar 4-1-4 Plan

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
59/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 25
Value 44
Affordability 43
Selectivity 70

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Virginia Wesleyan University admits 72.9% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.

Acceptance Rate
72.9%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test Policy Not Considered Standardized 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 Wesleyan University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Getting more selective ↓ 5.5 pts since 2019
76.8%201974%202086.4%202181.4%202271.3%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. At $19,676 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.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$19,676
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
27%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
45%
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
$37,500
Room & Board (on-campus)
$11,930
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,930
Books & Supplies
$1,500
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,100
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,100
Total Cost of Attendance
$51,255

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
    $14,080
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $17,108
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $15,967
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $22,603
  • Over $110,000
    $24,782

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.

$3,750
10% percentile
$6,500
25% percentile
$27,000
Median percentile
$27,000
75% percentile
$37,000
90% 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 $15,750 ↓ $11,250
No Pell $12,000 ↓ $15,000
Dependent students $13,625 ↓ $13,375
Independent students $15,479 ↓ $11,521
Female students $14,522 ↓ $12,478
Male students $13,000 ↓ $14,000
Pell recipients: 18.7% (5,040 students)No Pell: 14.2% (3,840 students)Dependent students: 16.1% (4,360 students)Independent students: 18.3% (4,953 students)Female students: 17.2% (4,647 students)Male students: 15.4% (4,160 students)Overall Median$27,000
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, less than completers ($27,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

45% of students who start here finish within six years, and 71% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. 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
45%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
71%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $50,074 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)
$50,074
Earning > $25K
78%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

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

$38,000$41,000$45,000$48,000$52,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

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
$40,500

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$51,000

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$38,200

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$43,100

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$46,900

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $10,500, about 21% 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 ↑ 19.1 pts across 6 years
64.8%1yr69.3%3yr77.8%5yr83.9%7yr
What this signals: Strong. 84% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,256 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 31% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
1,256
Part-Time
6%
First-Generation
31%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

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

GroupShareStudents
White 39.3% 494
Black 19.9% 250
Hispanic 8.3% 104
Other 6.8% 85
International 3.1% 39
Asian 2.7% 34
White: 39.3% (494 students)Black: 19.9% (250 students)Hispanic: 8.3% (104 students)Other: 6.8% (85 students)International: 3.1% (39 students)Asian: 2.7% (34 students)Total1,256

Student Life & Campus Culture

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

Setting
Large City Virginia Beach, Virginia
Housing
Mostly residential 856 beds on campus
Adult Learners
8% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
4-1-4 Plan scheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Biology graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Virginia Wesleyan University offers a varied set of programs: 34 distinct programs across 22 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.

2 Programs
1 Program
3 Programs
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 13 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$191M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$75,883
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

87 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 40 46% $84,308
Associate Professors 24 28% $73,976
Assistant Professors 15 17% $66,377
Lecturers 8 9% $57,302

Pros & Cons of Virginia Wesleyan University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Virginia Wesleyan University 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
  • Below-average net price
  • Reasonable class sizes
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Below-average completion rate
  • Modest first-year retention
Best for: Based on the data, Virginia Wesleyan University is a fit for students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Virginia Wesleyan University

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

Is Virginia Wesleyan University hard to get into?
Admissions at Virginia Wesleyan University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 72.9%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Virginia Wesleyan University?
72.9% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does Virginia Wesleyan University cost?
Budget around $19,676 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 Wesleyan University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $50,074 a year against a net price of $19,676, about 2.5 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 Wesleyan University known for?
Mostly Business Administration, Biology, Business Administration. 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 Wesleyan University graduates earn?
About $50,074 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 Wesleyan University accredited?
Yes. Virginia Wesleyan University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Virginia Wesleyan University?
1,256 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 Wesleyan University?
45% 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 Wesleyan 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 Wesleyan University located?
Virginia Wesleyan University is located in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
What programs does Virginia Wesleyan University offer?
34 different programs, most commonly Business Administration, Biology, Business Administration. 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 Wesleyan University?
13 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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