Southern Virginia University

Buena Vista, Virginia · Private nonprofit · 4-year · Town

At a glance

Average net price: $22,213What students typically pay per year after grants and scholarships.
Acceptance rate: 96%
Graduation rate: 36%Share of students who finish within 150% of the normal time.
Undergraduates: 936
In-state tuition: $21,280Published price before aid.
Out-of-state tuition: $21,280
SAT midpoint: 1,123
Median earnings, 10 yrs: $50,002Median earnings of former students ten years after they first enrolled.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Data year: 2022-23 academic year. Updated September 2026. Figures are averages across all students and will differ from what any individual pays.

How it compares to similar colleges

Each rating covers one measure against private nonprofit 4-year colleges nationally. Five stars means the top fifth on that measure. There is no overall score, because which of these matters is your call.

Affordability

$22,213

3/5

Better than 53% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1092 compared).

Completion

36%

1/5

Better than 14% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1063 compared).

Earnings

$50,002

2/5

Better than 37% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1087 compared).

Debt at graduation

$24,224

3/5

Better than 56% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1020 compared).

What these ratings are based on

Affordability: Based on average net price: what students receiving federal aid actually paid, after grants and scholarships. Your own cost depends on your family's finances.
Completion: Based on the share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within 150% of normal time. It excludes transfer and part-time students, which understates colleges serving many of them.
Earnings: Based on median earnings ten years after students first enrolled. It reflects the subjects a college teaches and the region it sits in as much as its teaching.
Debt at graduation: Based on median federal loan debt among students who completed. Private and parent loans are not included, so real totals are often higher.
Why there is no rating for selectivity: A lower acceptance rate is selectivity, not quality. Awarding stars for it would be us inventing a value judgement and hiding it behind a number.

What it actually costs

Published cost

$34,431

The sticker price: tuition, fees, housing, food and books for one academic year, before any aid.

Average net price

$22,213

What students receiving federal aid actually paid on average, after grants and scholarships. This is the more useful number, though your own figure depends on your family’s finances.

What would this cost me?

Use this college’s official net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation, retention, debt and earnings for Southern Virginia University
Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time	36%
Retention rateFirst-year students who return	74%
Median debt at graduationFederal loans only, students who completed	$24,224
Median earnings, 10 years after entryFormer students, working and not enrolled	$50,002

What graduates of each major earn

Median earnings one year after finishing, for people who took that subject here. This is the figure a college-wide median hides: the spread between subjects at one college is usually far wider than the spread between colleges.

Bachelor’s programs at Southern Virginia University by graduate earnings
Major	Earnings, 1 yr	Degrees awarded
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities	$22,024	14
Business/Commerce, General	Not reported	44
Psychology, General	Not reported	42
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	Not reported	23
Visual and Performing Arts, General	Not reported	14
Biology, General	Not reported	14
English Language and Literature, General	Not reported	14
Music	Not reported	10
Computer and Information Sciences, General	Not reported	9
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services	Not reported	9
History	Not reported	7
Political Science and Government	Not reported	5
Mathematics	Not reported	4
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft	Not reported	3
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Not reported	3
Philosophy	Not reported	2
Computer Science	Not reported	Not reported
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	Not reported	Not reported
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Not reported	Not reported
Area Studies	Not reported	Not reported
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods	Not reported	Not reported

All 21 bachelor’s programs this college reported.

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