Centra College
Lynchburg, VA 24501
About Centra College
Centra College is a private two-year college in Lynchburg, Virginia, enrolling about 219 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $24,868 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $12,983. Student demographics in federal data include White (73.5%) and Black or African American (14.6%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key findings
- Centra College charges about 0.4× the national private non-profit median tuition ($12,983).
- Versus the Virginia median, sticker tuition is 21% below.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 100.00%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $60,122.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Centra College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 504% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centra College | $12,983 | $24,868 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| Virginia (state median) | $16,364 | $8,852 | 107 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| 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 Centra College really?
Key findings
- Centra College charges about 0.4× the national private non-profit median tuition ($12,983).
- Versus the Virginia median, sticker tuition is 21% below.
Centra College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $12,983
Finding Centra College charges about 0.4× the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $12,983. That is about 0.4× the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the Virginia median ($16,364), sticker tuition is 21% below. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 9% 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 non-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 Centra College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Centra College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Centra College is $24,868.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $24,868 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $16,016 above the Virginia median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $9,897 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 Centra College, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Centra College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Centra College—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
$12,983
Avg. net price
$24,868
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $51,932. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Centra College is known for
Top program completions
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Centra College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Centra College 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 Centra College.
Campus
Location
Lynchburg, VA
City / state
- ZIP
- 24501
- NCES locale
- Town
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is 66% above the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Special Focus Four-Year: Business and Management
Size
Enrollment
219
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 340
- Full-time share
- 13%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$15,250
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 46.70%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Centra College.
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 Centra College 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 Centra College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2016–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $11,490 | $11,490 | — |
| 2017 | $10,528 | $10,528 | — |
| 2018 | $12,301 | $12,301 | $28,557 |
| 2019 | $12,325 | $12,325 | $32,754 |
| 2020 | $12,325 | $12,325 | $32,662 |
| 2021 | $12,664 | $12,664 | $28,887 |
| 2022 | $12,259 | $12,259 | $28,418 |
| 2023 | $12,263 | $12,263 | $24,868 |
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
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
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
Centra College reported total enrollment of about 219 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 9% male and 91% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (73.5%), Black or African American (14.6%), and Two or More Races (8.7%). About 46.70% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 56.0% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
12.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Centra College in 2024 is 219 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 340 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
N/A%
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
91.67% 100% Completion Time
100.00% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 91.67% of students graduating from Centra College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 13% male / 87% female
- Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training: 5% male / 95% 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.
Centra College graduates earn a median of $60,122 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Centra College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $60,122. Median federal loan debt: $15,250. Average net price used in cost models: $24,868.
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 Centra College graduates report median earnings of $60,122 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 Centra College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 2 programs by IPEDS completions (3 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Centra College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Centra College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Centra College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$162,589
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Virginia median 0.01× the median ($30.9M)
- Southeast median 0.01× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 0.01× the median ($26.4M)
- Virginia median 0.08× the median ($13,171)
- Southeast median 0.11× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 0.09× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 56.6%
- Virginia median 4.4 pp below median (61.0%)
- Southeast median 2.8 pp below median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 1.4 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $7,046
- Virginia median 0.86× the median ($8,196)
- Southeast median near the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 0.93× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $9,536
- Virginia median 1.3× the median ($7,382)
- Southeast median 1.4× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 1.3× 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.
Centra College at a glance
Centra College
Centra College is a private non-profit institution in Lynchburg, VA, classified as Special Focus Four-Year: Business and Management.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Registered Nursing/Registered NurseLicensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian73.5%Black or African American14.6%Two or More Races8.7%
Schools near Centra College
Other campuses in Lynchburg, VA when available, plus nearby institutions in Virginia.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade A) within Virginia, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Centra College located?
Centra College is located in Lynchburg, VA.
What is Centra College's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Centra College is 100.0% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 1 applicants and 1 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Centra College's tuition?
Centra College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $12,983 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $24,868 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Centra College cost?
Reported tuition is $12,983 and average net price is $24,868 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $12,424 annually.
What explains Centra College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($24,868), completion (100.0% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($60,122). 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 Centra College?
Centra College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 340 students, White (73.5%), Black or African American (14.6%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Centra College?
About 56.0% of students at Centra College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Centra College earn?
Median earnings are $60,052 six years after entry and $60,122 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Centra College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 100.0% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Centra College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $15,250.
Is Centra College public or private?
Centra College is a private nonprofit institution located in Lynchburg, VA.
Is Centra College an HBCU?
No. Centra College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
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.