VCU acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Virginia Commonwealth University · Public · Richmond, VA · 21,205 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
VCU admitted 93.1% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 69.1% in 2013. Virginia residents pay $17,490 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $40,654.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 69.1% | 14,156 | 9,786 |
| 2014 | 75.3% | 13,758 | 10,366 |
| 2015 | 79.0% | 14,815 | 11,697 |
| 2016 | 81.2% | 15,629 | 12,683 |
| 2017 | 83.9% | 15,248 | 12,793 |
| 2018 | 86.2% | 16,549 | 14,273 |
| 2019 | 87.1% | 17,088 | 14,890 |
| 2020 | 90.6% | 17,253 | 15,632 |
| 2021 | 92.8% | 17,579 | 16,308 |
| 2022 | 91.0% | 18,242 | 16,600 |
| 2023 | 93.1% | 19,052 | 17,729 |
Applications went from 14,156 in fall 2013 to 19,052 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $18,927 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $18,347 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $20,373 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $27,067 |
| Over $110,000 | $38,273 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $17,490 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $40,654 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $43,180 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $25,037 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 35% submitted the SAT, 4% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| ODU VA | 90.5% | $13,250 in-state |
| George Mason VA | 88.8% | $14,316 in-state |
| JMU VA | 76.2% | $14,620 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
VCU admitted 17,729 of its 19,052 applicants for fall 2023, an admit rate of 93.1%.1 The 2013 rate was 69.1%, which puts the climb at 24.0 percentage points.1 A decline showed up in just 1 of the 10 year-to-year changes, so the trend was nearly steady growth.1 Applications grew 35% while admissions grew 81%, from 9,786 to 17,729.1
The test policy is test-optional, and SAT scores came from 35% of enrolled students and ACT scores from 4%.1 Reported middle 50% scores were 530 to 650 for SAT reading and writing, 500 to 620 for math, and 22 to 30 for the ACT.1
Tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $17,490 for Virginia residents and $40,654 for everyone else.2 The resident figure is above the $15,304 median of the 15 public bachelor's colleges in Virginia.2 Net price ranged in 2024-25 from $18,927 in the $0 to $30,000 band to $38,273 for families earning over $110,000.2
Among 2019 entrants, 65% graduated within 6 years, above the 58% median across 49 Virginia bachelor's colleges.2 First-year retention was 85% for the fall 2023 class.2 Median earnings were $64,442 in 2022-23, and graduates who borrowed had a median debt of $19,500.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 19,052 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 17,729 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 4,519 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 21,205 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 530 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 650 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 500 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 620 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 22 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 30 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 35% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 4% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $17,490 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $40,654 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $43,180 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $25,037 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $18,927 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $18,347 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $20,373 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $27,067 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $38,273 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 65% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 85% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 36% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $64,442 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $19,500 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, Virginia (N = 15) | $15,304 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Virginia (N = 49) | 58% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with VCU, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page