Chesapeake, Virginia Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Chesapeake, Virginia: median public in-state tuition $20,645 (+274.6% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $77,821 (+43.1% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 85.2% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $14,750 (+11.1% vs U.S.) 391 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Chesapeake serve students across Virginia with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 3 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 391 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $20,645. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Chesapeake, Virginia and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Chesapeake vs Virginia & 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake, Virginia | $20,645 | $33,626 | $14,750 | N/A | 391 |
| Virginia (state median) | $5,400 | $8,852 | $20,000 | 57.0% | 382,210 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Chesapeake, Virginia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake, Virginia | $77,821 | 85.2% | N/A | 2.7% | — | 78.5% | 0.25 |
| Virginia (state median) | $54,869 | 86.8% | 75.7% | 4.1% | — | 74.4% | 0.45 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Virginia (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake, Virginia | $20,645 | $33,626 | $14,750 | N/A | 391 | $77,821 | 85.2% |
| Lynchburg | $17,724 | $21,253 | $24,250 | 57.4% | 55,015 | $53,409 | 82.4% |
| Norfolk | $16,337 | $19,164 | $14,750 | 42.4% | 36,344 | $49,790 | 87.0% |
| Blacksburg | $15,948 | $24,953 | $21,678 | 86.2% | 30,923 | $81,698 | 90.7% |
| Richmond | $16,945 | $23,460 | $20,000 | 48.7% | 29,458 | $58,128 | 88.6% |
| Richmond | $16,945 | $23,460 | $20,000 | 48.7% | 29,458 | $58,128 | 88.6% |
| Richmond | $16,945 | $23,460 | $20,000 | 48.7% | 29,458 | $58,128 | 88.6% |
| Fairfax | $14,220 | $17,915 | $19,500 | 67.8% | 27,752 | $76,343 | 86.1% |
| Harrisonburg | $29,085 | $23,955 | $22,453 | 73.4% | 21,642 | $62,412 | 90.2% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
In-state tuition: Chesapeake, Virginia vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Chesapeake, Virginia median in-state tuition is $20,645, +274.6% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Chesapeake, Virginia vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Chesapeake, Virginia is $14,750 (+11.1% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $14,456.
Median earnings (10 years out): Chesapeake, Virginia vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Chesapeake, Virginia center around $77,821 (+43.1% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Chesapeake, Virginia vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 85.2% at the median Chesapeake, Virginia campus (-2.7 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.
Costs & borrowing
Chesapeake, Virginia median public in-state tuition is $20,645, about +274.6% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +313.6%.
Median graduate debt is $14,750 (+11.1% above the U.S. median of $13,271). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Chesapeake, Virginia are $77,821, about +43.1% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 85.2% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (-2.7 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 2.7% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 78.5% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Chesapeake?
This city profile covers 3 campuses in Chesapeake, Virginia with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Chesapeake?
Median in-state tuition in Chesapeake is $20,645 and median net price is $33,626. For Virginia overall, medians are $5,400 and $8,852; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Chesapeake?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Chesapeake is $77,821 vs $54,869 for Virginia and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Chesapeake colleges?
Median completer debt in Chesapeake is $14,750 vs $20,000 for Virginia and $13,271 nationally.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Chesapeake?
Among 3 College Scorecard campuses in Chesapeake, Virginia, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, and none meet our 25% Hispanic-enrollment HSI proxy or report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- Virginia college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON