Norfolk, Virginia Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Norfolk, Virginia shows: median public in-state tuition $16,337 (+196.4% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $49,790 (-8.3% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 87.0% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $17,375 (+29.4% vs U.S.) 36,344 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 11 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 36,344 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $16,337 (+196.4% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $49,790 (-8.3% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 87.0% (-0.9 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $19,164 (+92.3% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $17,375 (+29.4% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $14,173
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 42.4%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 74.7%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Norfolk, Virginia—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Virginia and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Norfolk 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk, Virginia | $16,337 | $19,164 | $17,375 | 42.4% | 36,344 |
| Virginia (state median) | $5,400 | $8,852 | $20,000 | 57.6% | 382,545 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Norfolk, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk, Virginia | $49,790 | 87.0% | 74.7% | 11.3% | — | 49.6% | 0.54 |
| Virginia (state median) | $54,869 | 86.8% | 75.7% | 4.1% | — | 74.4% | 0.45 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk, Virginia | $16,337 | $19,164 | $17,375 | 42.4% | 36,344 | $49,790 | 87.0% |
| Lynchburg | $17,724 | $21,253 | $24,250 | 57.4% | 55,015 | $53,409 | 82.4% |
| 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% |
| Virginia Beach | $18,484 | $19,676 | $20,000 | 41.6% | 21,077 | $44,498 | 80.2% |
| Hampton | $18,189 | $19,018 | $15,524 | 57.2% | 7,812 | $59,159 | 87.0% |
| Petersburg | $10,043 | $14,175 | $19,166 | 39.4% | 5,190 | $45,543 | 84.3% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Norfolk, Virginia 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, 46.3%, Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 38.5%, Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University
Top 10 colleges in Norfolk, Virginia 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, 87.9%, Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 86.1%, Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University
Top 10 most selective colleges in Norfolk, Virginia (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, 87.8%, Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 90.4%, Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
Top 10 colleges in Norfolk, Virginia 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, $76,527, Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
Top 10 colleges in Norfolk, Virginia 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, $96,427, Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
Top 10 colleges in Norfolk, Virginia 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, $46,732, Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $33,412, Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University
Top 10 colleges in Norfolk, Virginia 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, $51,738, Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $40,645, Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University
Top 10 colleges in Norfolk, Virginia 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, $54,914, Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $44,666, Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University
Top 10 colleges in Norfolk, Virginia 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, $185,095, Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $133,542, Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Norfolk, Virginia (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, $14,638, Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
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Rank 2, Net Price, $15,282, Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University
Top 10 colleges in Norfolk, Virginia 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, 76.9%, Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 72.6%, Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University
In-state tuition: Norfolk, Virginia vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Norfolk, Virginia median in-state tuition is $16,337, +196.4% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Norfolk, Virginia vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Norfolk, Virginia is $17,375 (+29.4% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $14,173.
Median earnings (10 years out): Norfolk, Virginia vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Norfolk, Virginia center around $49,790 (-8.3% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Norfolk, Virginia vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 87.0% at the median Norfolk, Virginia campus (-0.9 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.
Costs & borrowing
Norfolk, Virginia median public in-state tuition is $16,337, about +196.4% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +227.3%.
Median graduate debt is $17,375 (+29.4% above the U.S. median of $13,432). 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 Norfolk, Virginia are $49,790, about -8.3% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 87.0% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (-0.9 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 74.7% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 11.3% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 49.6% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Old Dominion University (87.9%), Norfolk State University (86.1%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Norfolk, Virginia is 42.4% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Norfolk?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 11 campuses in Norfolk, Virginia with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Norfolk?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Norfolk is $16,337 and median net price is $19,164. For Virginia overall, medians are $5,400 and $8,852; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Norfolk?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Norfolk is $49,790 vs $54,869 for Virginia and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Norfolk colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Norfolk is $17,375 vs $20,000 for Virginia and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Norfolk?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Old Dominion University (graduation) and Old Dominion University (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Norfolk?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 11 campuses in Norfolk, Virginia, 1 historically Black college or university (HBCU, IPEDS HBCU flag), including Norfolk State University.
Sources & related
- Virginia college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON