U.S. Virgin Islands Colleges: Tuition, Debt & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in U.S. Virgin Islands: median 10-year earnings $43,157 (-27.4% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 84.1% working & not enrolled at 8 years.
Overview
Higher education in U.S. Virgin Islands includes public research universities, private colleges, and community colleges serving transfer students and workforce training. Major campuses include University of the Virgin Islands. The tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, debt, and employment outcomes against U.S. and regional medians.
U.S. Virgin Islands vs regional & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Virgin Islands (VI) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: U.S. Virgin Islands vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Virgin Islands (VI) | $43,157 | 84.1% | 68.6% | 12.7% | — | 59.3% | 0.35 |
| United States | $59,401 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.8% | 0.36 |
Higher education completions in U.S. Virgin Islands (IPEDS 2024)
Supply-side counts from IPEDS Completions — not employment or placement rates.
In the IPEDS 2024 completions file, institutions in U.S. Virgin Islands reported 490 total awards (all levels and fields).
Among reported completers statewide, about 73.9% were women and 26.1% were men.
Largest institutions by degrees awarded
| # | Institution | Completions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of the Virgin Islands | 490 |
Top majors by completions
| # | Program (CIP) | Completions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other/Unknown Programs | 245 |
| 2 | Business Administration and Management, General | 40 |
| 3 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 31 |
| 4 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | 22 |
| 5 | Accounting | 20 |
| 6 | Educational Leadership and Administration, General | 14 |
| 7 | Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Other | 13 |
| 8 | Criminal Justice/Police Science | 13 |
| 9 | Psychology, General | 12 |
| 10 | Computer Science | 10 |
Program completions produced in U.S. Virgin Islands (IPEDS 2024)
Award completions by CIP family — supply-side context for nursing, cosmetology, and other pathways. Not placement rates.
| Program area | Completions | Institutions |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing (CIP 51.38) | 31 | 1 |
State workforce wages (BLS OEWS May 2024)
Context for graduate earnings — not a unemployment rate for recent grads (CEW state series not in repo).
- All occupations median annual wage: $41,550
- Education occupations (SOC 25-xxxx) median: $50,530
Program-level earnings in U.S. Virgin Islands (Scorecard)
- Median 1-yr post-completion program earnings (across reporting campuses): $58,241
- Median 4-yr post-completion: $94,239
- Campuses with program earnings data: 1
Public 4-year in-state tuition trend: U.S. Virgin Islands
Median published in-state tuition, public 4-year institutions. Source: College Scorecard multi-year pull.
Top college in U.S. Virgin Islands by degrees awarded (IPEDS 2024, all fields)
Ranked by total IPEDS-reported completions (all award levels and fields) in 2024. This is degrees/certificates produced, not enrollment or job placement.
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Rank 1, Degrees Awarded, 490, University of the Virgin Islands
University of the Virgin Islands
Top college in U.S. Virgin Islands by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 23.5%, University of the Virgin Islands
University of the Virgin Islands
Top college in U.S. Virgin Islands by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 84.1%, University of the Virgin Islands
University of the Virgin Islands
Most selective college in U.S. Virgin Islands (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 99.0%, University of the Virgin Islands
University of the Virgin Islands
Top college in U.S. Virgin Islands by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $58,241, University of the Virgin Islands
University of the Virgin Islands
Top college in U.S. Virgin Islands by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $94,239, University of the Virgin Islands
University of the Virgin Islands
Top college in U.S. Virgin Islands by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $35,476, University of the Virgin Islands
University of the Virgin Islands
Top college in U.S. Virgin Islands by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $41,152, University of the Virgin Islands
University of the Virgin Islands
Top college in U.S. Virgin Islands by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $43,157, University of the Virgin Islands
University of the Virgin Islands
Top college in U.S. Virgin Islands by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $164,898, University of the Virgin Islands
University of the Virgin Islands
Most affordable college in U.S. Virgin Islands (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $7,071, University of the Virgin Islands
University of the Virgin Islands
Top college in U.S. Virgin Islands by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 68.6%, University of the Virgin Islands
University of the Virgin Islands
Median earnings (10 years out): U.S. Virgin Islands vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in U.S. Virgin Islands center around $43,157 (-27.4% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: U.S. Virgin Islands vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 84.1% at the median U.S. Virgin Islands campus (-8.9 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in U.S. Virgin Islands are $43,157, about -27.4% vs the U.S. campus median ($59,401).
The median campus reports 84.1% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 93.0% (-8.9 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 68.6% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 12.7% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 59.3% (U.S. 73.8%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Nationally, U.S. Virgin Islands ranks earnings #52 and employment proxy #52 on these outcome medians (1 = best).
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of the Virgin Islands (84.1%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does college cost in U.S. Virgin Islands?
Cost benchmarks for U.S. Virgin Islands are listed in the profile tables when campuses report tuition and net price to the College Scorecard.
What is typical student debt for graduates in U.S. Virgin Islands?
Median federal loan debt among completers in U.S. Virgin Islands is N/A vs a U.S. median of $13,500
What do graduates earn in U.S. Virgin Islands?
Median earnings 10 years after entry for U.S. Virgin Islands campuses reporting to the College Scorecard is $43,157 vs $59,401 nationally. Six-year medians are $35,476.
What share of U.S. Virgin Islands graduates are working after college?
The federal employment-outcome proxy used on this site (8-year cohort working and not enrolled) has a median of 84.1% in U.S. Virgin Islands vs 93.0% nationally.
How many colleges are in U.S. Virgin Islands?
This profile aggregates 1 campuses with cost or outcomes data in U.S. Virgin Islands.
What are the top colleges in U.S. Virgin Islands?
Rankings on this page are drawn from College Scorecard medians; standouts include highest 150%-time graduation rate: University of the Virgin Islands; highest 10-year earnings: University of the Virgin Islands; lowest net price among large campuses: University of the Virgin Islands. See the ranked lists below for full details.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in U.S. Virgin Islands?
Among 2 campuses in U.S. Virgin Islands, 1 historically Black college or university (HBCU, IPEDS HBCU flag), including University of the Virgin Islands.
Sources & related
- U.S. national benchmarks
- All college profiles
- U.S. Virgin Islands trade school profile
- States & cities with the most colleges
- U.S. Virgin Islands college costs drilldown
- Top colleges in U.S. Virgin Islands by ROI
- Student loan debt by state
- College enrollment statistics
- Supplemental: Census ACS attainment, IPEDS completions, BLS OEWS, NSC SCNC, tuition trends
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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