B+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Academics
    B+
  2. Value
    B+
  3. Diversity
    A
  4. Campus
    B
  5. Athletics
    B+
  6. Party Scene
    A
  7. Professors
    B+
  8. Location
    A-
  9. Dorms
    C
  10. Campus Food
    B-
  11. Student Life
    B+
  12. Safety
    C+
View Full Report Card
Virginia Commonwealth University is ...
Public
Athletic Division
NCAA Division I (without football)
Athletic Conference
Atlantic 10 Conference
Address
910 W Franklin St
Richmond, VA 23284
Website
vcu.edu

Virginia Commonwealth University Rankings

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

Admissions

Acceptance Rate
79%
Application Deadline
—
SAT Range
990-1200
ACT Range
21-27
Application Fee
$65
SAT/ACT
Required
High School GPA
Required
Will You Get In?

Test Scores and GPA for Virginia Commonwealth University

Cost

Net Price
$19,898/ year
National
$15,403
Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Net Price by Household Income
  • <$30k
    $14,890/ year
  • $30-48k
    $17,949/ year
  • $49-75k
    $22,556/ year
  • $76-110k
    $24,220/ year
  • $110k+
    $26,337/ year

Academics

Professors
B+
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
17:1
Evening Degree Programs
Yes
74%
of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.253 responses
45%
of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.276 responses
53%
of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.273 responses

Majors

Most Popular Majors
  • Psychology
    531 Graduates
  • Biology
    396 Graduates
  • Business
    334 Graduates
  • Communications
    333 Graduates
  • Nursing
    268 Graduates
  • Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration
    258 Graduates
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities
    212 Graduates
  • Health Teacher Education
    208 Graduates
  • Political Science and Government
    170 Graduates
  • English
    143 Graduates

Students

Full-Time Enrollment
20,137Undergrads
Undergrads Over 25
9%
Pell Grant
30%
Varsity Athletes
1%
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
Based on 164 responses
Report
  • Diverse
    25%
  • Hipster
    21%
  • All of the above
    20%
  • Unique
    15%
  • Art students
    5%
  • Average
    5%
  • Ambitious
    4%

Campus Life

Freshmen Live On-Campus
—
Poll
59%
of students say that Greek life is average, and no one will treat you differently if you don't join.305 responses
Poll
66%
of students say varsity sports are a big part of campus life.365 responses
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes your school?
Based on 192 responses
Report
  • Diverse
    47%
  • All of the above
    38%
  • Artsy
    8%
  • Creatively Ambitious
    4%
  • Collective
    2%
  • Friendly and welcoming
    2%
  • Artsy Lazy Collective
    1%

After College

Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$41,800/ year
National
$33,028
Graduation Rate
62%
National
48%
Employed 2 Years After Graduation
92%
National
83%
83%
of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.192 responses
Colleges like Virginia Commonwealth University
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Virginia Commonwealth University Reviews

3,816 reviews
All Categories
VCU is located right in downtown Richmond Virginia! It has the #2 public art education program in the country and it shows through the students attending! VCU is integrated into the city of Richmond and offers plenty of fun night life and campus activities, as well as plenty of nature to explore! My professors have all been polite, accessible, and compassionate. The only thing I would say is a downside to VCU is their dining hall food, but there are plenty of other restaurants that serve delicious food and accept student meal plans!
Review Virginia Commonwealth University
VCU is wonderful! Everyone is super friendly and its very diverse. Nearly all of my teachers and classes I've had have been outstanding. I'm in the Art's Foundation program and I've learned so much and the work that comes out of it is phenomenal. The athletics are top, yet the student body lacks in school spirit. The party scene is amazing. Nearly all parties are off campus and the only downside is that its very selective. If you aren't in a frat there's a good chance you won't be let in. The school in general needs more of a reputation, especially out of state. The on campus dorms aren't the best either. The walls aren't soundproof, but the living space is average despite the small spaces we are given. Monroe Park, which initially was extremely sketchy and filled with homeless people, is being renovated. Most of the homeless have been relocated since construction started. For an urban school, its very safe. VCUs food is the worst and overpriced but the gym is outstanding.
I think my favorite thing is the diversity. Walking around the campus, you see people of different races, ethnicities, religions, and nationalities. You hear people speaking languages other than English such as Arabic or Chinese. A lot of my friends I actually met at LGBTQ+ mixers during the first week here. I love that there is a whole department and office for multicultural student affairs. The office is even a safe space for anyone who needs it!