South University-Richmond
Glen Allen, VA 23060
About South University-Richmond
South University-Richmond is a private for-profit university in Glen Allen, Virginia, enrolling about 232 students. South University-Richmond awards degrees and certificates tracked in federal College Scorecard and IPEDS reporting. Published tuition for full-time study is about $18,145 per year before aid; net price varies by family income. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $34,421 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- South University-Richmond charges 9% above the national private for-profit median tuition ($18,145).
- Versus the Virginia median, sticker tuition is 11% above.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 42.11%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $34,421.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| South University-Richmond | $18,145 | $30,442 | 1 |
| Private For-profit (national median) | $16,637 | — | 477 |
| Virginia (state median) | $16,364 | $8,852 | 107 |
| Rural (locale median) | $14,160 | $18,700 | 1,649 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is South University-Richmond really?
Key findings
- South University-Richmond charges 9% above the national private for-profit median tuition ($18,145).
- Versus the Virginia median, sticker tuition is 11% above.
South University-Richmond tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $18,145
Finding South University-Richmond charges 9% above the national private for-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $18,145. That is 9% above the national private for-profit median ($16,637). Versus the Virginia median ($16,364), sticker tuition is 11% above. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 52% above.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private for-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at South University-Richmond versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at South University-Richmond versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at South University-Richmond is $30,442.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $30,442 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $21,590 above the Virginia median net price. Versus rural campuses, net price runs $11,742 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At South University-Richmond, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
South University-Richmond: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for South University-Richmond—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$18,145
Avg. net price
$30,442
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $29,903 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $31,379 |
| $110,001+ | $33,277 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $72,580. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What South University-Richmond is known for
Top program completions
- Physician Associate/Assistant34
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse30
- Physical Therapy Assistant9
- Mental Health Counseling/Counselor8
- Occupational Therapist Assistant5
See earnings & programs for more.
Is South University-Richmond a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
South University-Richmond is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for South University-Richmond.
Campus
Location
Glen Allen, VA
City / state
- ZIP
- 23060
- NCES locale
- Rural fringe
Compared with Rural campuses nationally, net price is 63% above the median for Rural campuses ($18,700 median).
Control
Institution type
Private For-profit
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Special Focus Four-Year: Business and Management
Size
Enrollment
232
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 461
- Graduate
- 89
- Full-time share
- 73%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$26,123
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 39.06%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for South University-Richmond.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at South University-Richmond was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for South University-Richmond in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $16,360 | $16,360 | $25,069 |
| 2014 | $16,360 | $16,360 | $23,521 |
| 2015 | $16,761 | $16,761 | $25,202 |
| 2016 | $17,331 | $17,331 | $21,602 |
| 2017 | $17,014 | $17,014 | $25,302 |
| 2018 | $17,014 | $17,014 | $20,933 |
| 2019 | $17,014 | $17,014 | $20,336 |
| 2020 | $17,014 | $17,014 | $25,162 |
| 2021 | $17,014 | $17,014 | $23,319 |
| 2022 | $17,014 | $17,014 | $24,721 |
| 2023 | $18,238 | $18,238 | $26,205 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
South University-Richmond reported total enrollment of about 232 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 22% male and 78% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Black or African American (51.3%), White (25.0%), and Race/ethnicity unknown (9.9%). About 39.06% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 47.2% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
72.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at South University-Richmond in 2024 is 232 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 461 students. Graduate enrollment is about 89 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
66.7%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
22.22% 100% Completion Time
42.11% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 22.22% of students graduating from South University-Richmond completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Physician Associate/Assistant: 24% male / 76% female
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 7% male / 93% female
- Physical Therapy Assistant: 33% male / 67% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
South University-Richmond graduates earn a median of $34,421 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of South University-Richmond.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $34,421. Median federal loan debt: $26,123. Average net price used in cost models: $30,442.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway South University-Richmond graduates report median earnings of $34,421 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for South University-Richmond.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (13 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at South University-Richmond.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for South University-Richmond graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for South University-Richmond—instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 31.0%
- Virginia median 30.0 pp below median (61.0%)
- Southeast median 28.4 pp below median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 26.9 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $7,481
- Virginia median 0.91× the median ($8,196)
- Southeast median 1.1× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median near the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $10,658
- Virginia median 1.4× the median ($7,382)
- Southeast median 1.6× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 1.5× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
South University-Richmond at a glance
South University-Richmond
South University-Richmond is a private for-profit institution in Glen Allen, VA, classified as Special Focus Four-Year: Business and Management.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Physician Associate/AssistantRegistered Nursing/Registered NursePhysical Therapy Assistant
- Largest enrollment groups
- Black or African American51.3%White or Caucasian25.0%Race/ethnicity unknown9.9%
Schools near South University-Richmond
Other campuses in Glen Allen, VA when available, plus nearby institutions in Virginia.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within Virginia, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is South University-Richmond located?
South University-Richmond is located in Glen Allen, VA.
What is South University-Richmond's tuition?
South University-Richmond tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $18,145 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $30,442 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does South University-Richmond cost?
Reported tuition is $18,145 and average net price is $30,442 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $9,439 annually.
What explains South University-Richmond's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($30,442), completion (42.1% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($34,421). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at South University-Richmond?
South University-Richmond reports undergraduate enrollment of about 461 students, Black or African American (51.3%), White (25.0%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend South University-Richmond?
About 47.2% of students at South University-Richmond are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of South University-Richmond earn?
Median earnings are $34,115 six years after entry and $34,421 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at South University-Richmond?
The 150%-time completion rate is 42.1% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do South University-Richmond students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $26,123.
Is South University-Richmond public or private?
South University-Richmond is a private for-profit institution located in Glen Allen, VA.
Is South University-Richmond an HBCU?
No. South University-Richmond is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is South University-Richmond a tribal college?
No. South University-Richmond is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.