The real 4-year cost of Virginia Commonwealth University in Virginia
Over the 18 years from 2008 to 2026, published tuition and required fees at Virginia Commonwealth University went from $6,779 to $17,963, an average of 3.1% a year. The 2026–27 figure is the school's own announced rate.
2026–27 rate announced: $17,9632026-27 Board of Visitors-approved tuition and mandatory fees, typical 15 credits per semester (in-state tuition +3.9%).source
Read with care: this school's history shows a sharp one-year increase, so a smooth projection may not hold.
2008–2030: history and projection
| Year | Published | Projected estimate | Estimate range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $6,779 | – | – |
| 2009 | $7,117 | – | – |
| 2010 | $8,817 | – | – |
| 2011 | $9,517 | – | – |
| 2012 | $9,885 | – | – |
| 2013 | $12,002 | – | – |
| 2014 | $12,398 | – | – |
| 2015 | $12,772 | – | – |
| 2016 | $13,130 | – | – |
| 2017 | $13,256 | – | – |
| 2018 | $14,490 | – | – |
| 2019 | $14,596 | – | – |
| 2020 | $14,710 | – | – |
| 2021 | $15,028 | – | – |
| 2022 | $15,642 | – | – |
| 2023 | $16,233 | – | – |
| 2026 | $17,963 | $17,963 | – |
| 2027 | – | $18,529 | $17,328–$19,729 |
| 2028 | – | $19,112 | $16,716–$21,669 |
| 2029 | – | $19,714 | $16,125–$23,799 |
| 2030 | – | $20,335 | $15,555–$26,139 |
If you pay full sticker
Projected tuition + fees, entering fall 2026.
| Year 1 | $17,963 |
| Year 2 | $18,529 |
| Year 3 | $19,112 |
| Year 4 | $19,714 |
| 4-year total | $75,318 |
Two aid scenarios
4-year out-of-pocket total.
- $10,000/yr flat scholarship
- $35,318
- Flat aid doesn't grow, so it covers less each year.
- 50%-of-tuition scholarship
- $45,508
- Percentage aid keeps pace with tuition.
On-campus housing & meals
Room & board (housing plus the standard meal plan), on top of tuition.
- Latest (2023)
- $16,119/ yr
- rising 4.6% / yr
- Projected 4-year add-on
- $79,083
Books & supplies typically add ~$1,200 a year (national median, not included).
Housing here is rising faster than tuition.
Run your own numbers
Enter your actual scholarship offer to see your real 4-year total.
See my 4-year cost at Virginia Commonwealth University4-year schools with similar prices in Virginia
Closest to Virginia Commonwealth University by published tuition and fees. Similar sticker prices can still compound very differently.
- Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach$17,957
- ECPI University$18,484
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University$17,087
- Centura College-Chesapeake$16,637
- South University-Richmond$16,452
- South University-Virginia Beach$16,452
- Christopher Newport University$16,351
- Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing$16,050
Use this data
Published figures for Virginia Commonwealth University from federal IPEDS data through 2023, free to download or embed with attribution. The embed stays current as the data updates.