Virginia Commonwealth University
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Virginia Commonwealth University?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

17:1
Student to faculty ratio
46%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

VCU has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 17:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Honors Programs

Virginia Commonwealth University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on VCU's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Virginia Commonwealth University:

85%
First-year retention rate
46%
4-year grad rate
63%
6-year grad rate

The average base annual salary of students who were employed within six months of graduation is $53,427. This is higher than the national average of $48,300.

$53,427
$48,300 (National Average)

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Virginia Commonwealth University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Psychology, General
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Health Teacher Education
Business/Commerce, General
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
140
215.6
291.2
366.8
442.4
518

The Full List

Major Graduates
Area
  • Area Studies, Other 33
  • Women's Studies 15
  • African-American/Black Studies 8
  • Area Studies, Other 3
  • Women's Studies 3
  • African-American/Black Studies 2
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 341
  • Bioinformatics 37
  • Bioinformatics 2
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 2
Business
  • Business/Commerce, General 227
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 153
  • Finance, General 74
  • Accounting 54
  • Business/Managerial Economics 27
  • Real Estate 18
  • Finance and Financial Management Services, Other 11
  • Human Resources Development 3
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 1
  • Business/Managerial Economics 1
Communication
  • Mass Communication/Media Studies 178
  • Mass Communication/Media Studies 2
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Information Science/Studies 134
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General 131
Education
  • Health Teacher Education 278
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 37
  • Art Teacher Education 18
  • Special Education and Teaching, General 8
  • Early Childhood Education and Teaching 2
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 2
  • Secondary Education and Teaching 0
Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering 82
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 50
  • Chemical Engineering 35
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 25
  • Computer Engineering, General 21
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 87
  • English Language and Literature, General 6
Foreign Languages
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 11
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 203
  • Health/Health Care Administration/Management 42
  • Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer 38
  • Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 26
  • Dental Hygiene/Hygienist 16
  • Health/Health Care Administration/Management 1
  • Nursing Practice 0
History
  • History, General 61
  • History, General 3
Homeland Security
  • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 139
  • Forensic Science and Technology 69
  • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 47
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other 41
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other 8
  • Forensic Science and Technology 1
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 36
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 147
  • Biological and Physical Sciences 72
  • Biological and Physical Sciences 1
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Studies 54
  • Environmental Studies 2
Parks
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies 0
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 20
  • Philosophy 7
  • Religion/Religious Studies 5
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 89
  • Physics, General 9
  • Chemistry, General 2
  • Physics, General 1
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 518
  • Psychology, General 43
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 83
  • Social Work 1
Social Sciences
  • Political Science and Government, General 127
  • Sociology, General 58
  • Urban Studies/Affairs 34
  • Political Science and Government, General 30
  • Anthropology, General 22
  • Urban Studies/Affairs 3
  • Sociology, General 3
  • Anthropology, General 2
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Illustration 139
  • Fashion/Apparel Design 68
  • Graphic Design 67
  • Cinematography and Film/Video Production 62
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 59
  • Photography 44
  • Design and Applied Arts, Other 43
  • Music Performance, General 40
  • Interior Design 36
  • Painting 34
  • Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry 27
  • Sculpture 21
  • Dance, General 15
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 10
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 2
  • Cinematography and Film/Video Production 2
  • Dance, General 1
  • Music Performance, General 1
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