University of Virginia-Main Campus
Charlottesville, VA 22903-2628
About University of Virginia-Main Campus
University of Virginia-Main Campus (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, with about 17,597 students. Admission is selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 16.81% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $86,863 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- University of Virginia-Main Campus charges about 4.0× the national public median tuition ($21,803).
- Versus the Virginia median, sticker tuition is 33% above.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 95.60%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $86,863.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at University of Virginia-Main Campus is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 907% 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.
Finding
University of Virginia-Main Campus awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 118 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Virginia-Main Campus | $21,803 | $21,565 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| 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.
Average net price is 1% below published tuition at University of Virginia-Main Campus
Key findings
- University of Virginia-Main Campus's average net price ($21,565) is 1% below published tuition ($21,803).
- University of Virginia-Main Campus charges about 4.0× the national public median tuition ($21,803).
- Versus the Virginia median, sticker tuition is 33% above.
University of Virginia-Main Campus tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $21,803
Finding University of Virginia-Main Campus charges about 4.0× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $21,803. That is about 4.0× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Virginia median ($16,364), sticker tuition is 33% above. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 1.8×.
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 public 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 University of Virginia-Main Campus versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at University of Virginia-Main Campus versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at University of Virginia-Main Campus is $21,565.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $21,565 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $12,713 above the Virginia median net price. Versus rural campuses, net price runs $2,865 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 University of Virginia-Main Campus’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 1% lower after grants and scholarships.
University of Virginia-Main Campus: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for University of Virginia-Main Campus—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
In-state tuition
$21,803
Out-of-state tuition
$59,512
Avg. net price
$21,565
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $8,174 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $9,696 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $13,283 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $20,822 |
| $110,001+ | $35,402 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $87,212. 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 University of Virginia-Main Campus is known for
Top program completions
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies868
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies594
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other508
- Business Administration and Management, General470
- Computer and Information Sciences, General456
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Highly selective — fewer than 3 in 10 applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 42% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1480
- Midpoint ACT: 34
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is University of Virginia-Main Campus a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
University of Virginia-Main Campus 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 University of Virginia-Main Campus.
Campus
Location
Charlottesville, VA
City / state
- ZIP
- 22903-2628
- NCES locale
- Rural distant
Compared with Rural campuses nationally, net price is 15% above the median for Rural campuses ($18,700 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
Size
Enrollment
17,597
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 19,242
- Graduate
- 8,524
- Full-time share
- 97%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$17,500
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 15.55%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for University of Virginia-Main Campus.
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 University of Virginia-Main Campus 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 University of Virginia-Main Campus 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 | $12,668 | $40,054 | $17,149 |
| 2014 | $13,208 | $42,394 | $17,863 |
| 2015 | $15,192 | $44,365 | $19,430 |
| 2016 | $16,412 | $45,756 | $19,177 |
| 2017 | $16,853 | $47,273 | $20,857 |
| 2018 | $17,653 | $49,032 | $20,281 |
| 2019 | $17,798 | $50,900 | $20,397 |
| 2020 | $18,960 | $52,843 | $22,006 |
| 2021 | $19,244 | $53,626 | $20,507 |
| 2022 | $20,342 | $55,914 | $23,101 |
| 2023 | $20,986 | $58,014 | $21,479 |
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 is highly selective, accepting fewer than 3 in 10 applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1480 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 34 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.85
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
University of Virginia-Main Campus reported total enrollment of about 17,597 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 44% male and 56% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (48.7%), Asian (19.9%), and Hispanic or Latino (7.9%). About 15.55% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 15.8% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
96.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at University of Virginia-Main Campus in 2024 is 17,597 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 19,242 students. Graduate enrollment is about 8,524 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
97.5%
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
92.29% 100% Completion Time
95.60% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 92.29% of students graduating from University of Virginia-Main Campus completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 36% male / 64% female
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies: 89% male / 11% female
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other: 47% male / 53% 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.
University of Virginia-Main Campus graduates earn a median of $86,863 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of University of Virginia-Main Campus.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $86,863. Median federal loan debt: $17,500. Average net price used in cost models: $21,565.
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 University of Virginia-Main Campus graduates report median earnings of $86,863 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 University of Virginia-Main Campus.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (118 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at University of Virginia-Main Campus.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for University of Virginia-Main Campus graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for University of Virginia-Main Campus—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$9.64B
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Virginia median 312× the median ($30.9M)
- Southeast median 496× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 365× the median ($26.4M)
- Virginia median 26× the median ($13,171)
- Southeast median 37× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 29× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 96.1%
- Virginia median 35.1 pp above median (61.0%)
- Southeast median 36.7 pp above median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 38.2 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $17,428
- Virginia median 2.1× the median ($8,196)
- Southeast median 2.6× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 2.3× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $26,598
- Virginia median 3.6× the median ($7,382)
- Southeast median 4.0× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 3.6× 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.
University of Virginia-Main Campus at a glance
University of Virginia-Main Campus
University of Virginia-Main Campus is a public institution in Charlottesville, VA, classified as Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal StudiesCriminal Justice/Safety StudiesManagement Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian48.7%Asian19.9%Hispanic or Latino7.9%
Schools near University of Virginia-Main Campus
Other campuses in Charlottesville, 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 UVA located?
University of Virginia-Main Campus is located in Charlottesville, VA. The institution is also known as UVA.
What is UVA's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at University of Virginia-Main Campus (UVA) is 16.8% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 56,528 applicants and 9,533 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is UVA's tuition?
University of Virginia-Main Campus tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $21,803 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $21,565 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does UVA cost?
Reported tuition is $21,803 and average net price is $21,565 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $14,800 annually.
Why is UVA's net price so much lower than tuition?
At University of Virginia-Main Campus, published tuition is $21,803 while average net price is $21,565—about 1% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains UVA's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($21,565), completion (95.6% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($86,863). 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 UVA?
University of Virginia-Main Campus reports undergraduate enrollment of about 19,242 students, White (48.7%), Asian (19.9%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend UVA?
About 15.8% of students at University of Virginia-Main Campus are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for University of Virginia-Main Campus?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, University of Virginia-Main Campus reports midpoint SAT about 1480 and midpoint ACT about 34.
What do graduates of University of Virginia-Main Campus earn?
Median earnings are $72,359 six years after entry and $86,863 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at University of Virginia-Main Campus?
The 150%-time completion rate is 95.6% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do University of Virginia-Main Campus students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $17,500.
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
- Virginia college profile
- Virginia college costs
- Virginia colleges by ROI
- University of Virginia-Main Campus vs Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University vs George Mason University
- Charlottesville, Virginia city profile
- Southeast regional profile
- Rural college profile
- Campus-setting profiles
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in Virginia
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.