Cost, debt & salary

Is University of Virginia worth it? What it costs, and what graduates earn

You would borrow a median $17,500 — about $199 a month for ten years. Graduates earn a median $86,863 ten years after starting, so the debt clears in roughly 0.4 years of the salary premium.

A

Is it worth the money?

Yes — on the federal figures this is one of the fastest-paying degrees in the country.

You borrow $17,500 median federal debt at graduation
You repay $199/mo standard 10-year federal plan
You earn $86,863 median, 10 years after entry · beats 94%
Debt clears in 0.4 yrs ranked 42 of 795

What that feels like each month Repayment against the salary that has to cover it.

Gross monthly pay
$7,239
Loan repayment
$199
Share of your pay
2.7%
0%15% — the comfort line25%

Under roughly 15% of gross pay, repayment is generally considered manageable alongside rent and living costs.

Cut the debt before you borrow it

Every dollar you win is a dollar you never repay — and it moves the 0.4-year payback above. We list 1 scholarship tied to University of Virginia.

University of Virginia Jefferson Scholarship 2027, USA
See all 1 University of Virginia scholarships →

If you still need to borrow Lenders that fund international and US students — compare the rate before you sign.

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We may earn a commission if you take a loan through a provider listed here. It never changes the figures on this page — the debt, salary and payback come from the US Department of Education, not from lenders.

How University of Virginia compares Against the 795 US universities we grade on payback.

The typical graded university clears its debt in 1.3 years on median earnings of $57,089 against $22,500 of debt. University of Virginia clears its debt faster than that, and its graduates earn $47,343 a year more than a US worker with only a high-school diploma.

Nearby universityGradeDebtEarningsPayback
George Mason University Virginia A $19,500 $76,343 0.5 yrs
University of Mary Washington Virginia C $20,500 $60,613 1 yrs
Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia C $21,500 $58,128 1.2 yrs
Eastern Mennonite University Virginia C $24,813 $54,869 1.6 yrs
Radford University Virginia D $24,000 $53,739 1.7 yrs

University of Virginia — the money questions

How much do graduates of University of Virginia earn?
Median earnings are $86,863 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled — from tax records, not a survey. That is higher than 94% of the US universities we hold figures for.
How much debt will I have at University of Virginia?
The median graduate leaves with $17,500 of federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $199 a month — roughly 2.7% of the median graduate's monthly pay before tax.
How long does a degree from University of Virginia take to pay for itself?
About 0.4 years of the salary premium — the amount graduates earn above the $39,520 a US worker with only a high-school diploma makes. That ranks it 42 of 795 US universities we grade on payback.
Can scholarships reduce this debt?
Yes — we list 1 scholarship tied to University of Virginia. Each award you win comes straight off the borrowing above, and the payback figure falls with it.
Do these numbers apply to my subject?
No. The Department of Education publishes one figure per institution, so nursing, engineering and fine art students at University of Virginia all sit inside the same median. Treat it as the size of the financial risk, not a salary forecast for your course.
University of Virginia profile Programmes at University of Virginia University of Virginia scholarships University of Virginia review & grade Compare with George Mason University Payback across Virginia Fastest-paying US degrees Lowest student debt How we calculate this

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard — earnings and debt cover students who received federal financial aid and blend every subject taught at the institution. Figures imported 28 Aug 2026. This page is information, not financial advice.