Public · Radford, Virginia

Radford University

Radford University is a public institution in Radford, Virginia. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.

$14,578
Avg net price / yr
$53,739
10-yr median earnings
49.1%
150%-time completion
89.5%
Acceptance rate

The verdict

Radford University pairs top-quartile former-student earnings with open admission.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

Top 23%
former-student earnings, US
89.5%
acceptance rate
49.1%
150%-time completion
+20%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
Town: Fringe Carnegie: Doctoral/Prof
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Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this Radford University profile

Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Doctoral/Professional Universities"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.

Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.

Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.

College Value Score

C-
College Value Score
54/100
Radford University

A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.

Earnings B+
$53,739
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price C+
$14,578
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate F
49.1%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$24,000
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment A-
77.3%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention D
75.6%
First-year students returning for year two
Radford University vs. the national benchmark
EarningsNet PriceCompletionDebtRepaymentRetention

Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.

10-yr median earnings

$53,739

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$14,578

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

49.1%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 49.1%

Four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - Radford University vs peers

Radford University positioned by earnings vs cost Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 8 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Radford University positioned by earnings vs… Carnegie Classification: Doctoral/Prof Doctoral/P… COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $34K $77K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $4K $20K Avg Net Price ($) Radford University (you are here): $54K earn · $15K net · 49% grad You are here - Radford University Brightpoint Community College: $41K earn · $5K net · 39% grad Brightpoint Commun… J Sargeant Reynolds Community College: $40K earn · $5K net · 31% grad J Sargeant Reynold… Germanna Community College: $40K earn · $6K net · 42% grad Germanna Community… Norfolk State University: $45K earn · $15K net · 36% grad Norfolk State Univ… Virginia State University: $46K earn · $16K net · 40% grad Virginia State Uni… William & Mary: $73K earn · $19K net · 90% grad New River Community College: $40K earn · $6K net · 47% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.

How Radford University ranks nationally

Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.

Radford University: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$53,739 Top 23% higher than 77% of 5,103 US colleges

$0–$20,000: 169 US colleges (3%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 2,245 US colleges (44%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 1,897 US colleges (37%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 606 US colleges (12%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 134 US colleges (3%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 39 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 11 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. This college $0 $160,000 every US college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Metric Radford University National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $53,739 #1193 of 5103 77th
Average net price $14,578 #2012 of 5020 60th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 49.1% #3053 of 4858 37th
Undergraduate enrollment 6,038 #620 of 5462 89th

National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.

Quick Facts

6,038
Undergraduate enrollment
89.5%
Acceptance rate
1,060
SAT average
49.1%
150%-time completion
$53,739
10-yr median earnings
75.6%
First-year retention

How Radford University ranks in Virginia

State rank among 125 reporting Virginia colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.

Metric Radford University State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $53,739 #34 of 125 73rd
Average net price $14,578 #37 of 107 65th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 49.1% #52 of 102 49th
Undergraduate enrollment 6,038 #12 of 126 90th

Highest former-student earnings in Virginia

#School10-yr earningsNet price
1Washington and Lee University$94,810$23,781
2Chamberlain University-Virginia$92,405$33,199
3University of Virginia-Main Campus$86,863$21,565
4Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University$81,698$24,953
5Sentara College of Health Sciences$77,821-
6Virginia Military Institute$77,369$17,113
7Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing$77,014-
8George Mason University$76,343$17,915
9University of Richmond$76,178$31,309
10William & Mary$73,490$19,096
11Southside College of Health Sciences$71,380-
12James Madison University$69,954$23,322
34Radford UniversityThis school$53,739$14,578

Admissions

Admission Rate 89.5%
SAT Average 1,060
SAT Math (25th-75th) 450 – 560
SAT Reading (25th-75th) 490 – 600
ACT Average 21
ACT (25th-75th) 19 – 26
0%100%89.5%
Share of applicants admitted

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at Radford University

Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket

net price / yr

What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Radford University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $12,548
Out-of-State Tuition $25,633
Average Net Price $14,578
37.1%
Pell Grant Rate
50.7%
Federal Loan Rate
$24,000
Median Debt
$254/mo
Monthly Payment

Net price at Radford University swings rather than trends

Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $15,651 to $17,707 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as +6.3%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.

Lowest year
$15,651
Highest year
$17,707
Most recent (2023)
$16,640
Average net price, 2013–2023

11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

2013: $15,6512014: $16,5602015: $16,7722016: $17,4282017: $16,7432018: $17,7072019: $16,4472020: $16,5052021: $16,6052022: $16,3102023: $16,640
2013 · $15,6512023 · $16,640

Over the same years, enrollment went -36.7% (8,866 → 5,609 students).

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.

Student Demographics

Race & ethnicity

Student body at a glance

59.5%
Female
31.4%
First Generation

Outcomes

75.6%
Retention Rate
$44,830
Median Earnings (6yr)
71.7%
Earning Over $25K
77.3%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 49.1%
First-year retention First-time, full-time freshmen 75.6%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $44,830
Median earnings 10 years after entry $53,739
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 71.7%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 77.3%
Median federal student debt At completion $24,000
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $254/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Bachelor's 37 1,538 $57,965 $87,740 $23,592
Master's 13 391 $76,456 $123,832 $40,123
Associate's 2 68 $50,335 $50,335 $20,000
Doctoral 1 0 $77,775 $77,775 $90,018
Certificate 1 0 - - -

Top programs at Radford University by completer earnings

Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file

median earnings

What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Master's 19 $123,832 $30,016
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Master's 41 $121,569 $97,314
Computer Science Bachelor's 40 $87,740 $24,636
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's 229 $81,120 $18,953
Health and Medical Administrative Services Master's 11 $79,566 $29,554
Accounting and Related Services Bachelor's 28 $78,780 $23,250
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions Master's 38 $78,332 $60,807
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions Doctoral - $77,775 $90,018
Educational Administration and Supervision Master's 23 $76,151 $22,250
Finance and Financial Management Services Bachelor's 29 $72,364 $24,900
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions Bachelor's 17 $71,805 -
Psychology, General Master's 25 $71,566 $31,722
Economics Bachelor's 11 $69,943 $25,565
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Bachelor's 29 $68,364 $22,500
Information Science/Studies Bachelor's 14 $68,088 -

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Radford University?
Radford University is a public institution in Radford, Virginia. The acceptance rate is 89.5%. The average SAT score is 1,060. Undergraduate enrollment is 6,038 students.
How much do Radford University former students earn?
Federally aided former students at Radford University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $53,739 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $44,830.
How much does Radford University cost?
The average net price at Radford University is $14,578. In-state tuition is $12,548 and out-of-state tuition is $25,633. Median student debt at graduation is $24,000.
What is the graduation rate at Radford University?
Radford University has a 49.1% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 75.6%.
Is Radford University worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Radford University is $24,000, while former students earn a median of $53,739 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 45% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 77.3% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $254.

Sources & methodology

Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.

Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Where to go next from Radford University

Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.