Public · Norfolk, Virginia

Tidewater Community College

Tidewater Community College is a public institution in Norfolk, 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.

$11,762
Avg net price / yr
$38,349
10-yr median earnings
30.9%
150%-time completion

The verdict

Tidewater Community College posts modest former-student earnings.

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

42nd pct.
former-student earnings, US
30.9%
150%-time completion
+17%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Midsize Carnegie: Associate's
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Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this Tidewater Community College 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 ("Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional"), 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

D
College Value Score
47/100
Tidewater Community College

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 D
$38,349
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price B
$11,762
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate F
30.9%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt B
$10,000
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment F
52.3%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention N/A
N/A
First-year students returning for year two
Tidewater Community College 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

$38,349

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$11,762

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

30.9%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 30.9%

Less-than-four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - Tidewater Community College vs peers

Tidewater Community College 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. Tidewater Community College positioned by ea… Carnegie Classification: Associate's Associate's COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $33K $91K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $4K $23K Avg Net Price ($) Tidewater Community College (you are here): $38K earn · $12K net · 31% grad You are here - Tidewater Communit… William & Mary: $73K earn · $19K net · 90% grad William & Mary Old Dominion University: $55K earn · $15K net · 45% grad Old Dominion Unive… University of Virginia-Main Campus: $87K earn · $22K net · 95% grad University of Virg… Radford University: $54K earn · $15K net · 49% grad Radford University Brightpoint Community College: $41K earn · $5K net · 39% grad Brightpoint Commun… J Sargeant Reynolds Community College: $40K earn · $5K net · 31% grad Norfolk State University: $45K earn · $15K net · 36% 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 Tidewater Community College 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.

Tidewater Community College: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$38,349 42nd percentile higher than 42% of 5,103 US colleges

$0–$20,000: 169 US colleges (3%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 2,245 US colleges (44%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 1,897 US colleges (37%). Above this entry. $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 Tidewater Community College National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $38,349 #2985 of 5103 42nd
Average net price $11,762 #1454 of 5020 71st (lower is better)
150%-time completion 30.9% #4238 of 4858 13th
Undergraduate enrollment 12,082 #274 of 5462 95th

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

Quick Facts

12,082
Undergraduate enrollment
-
Acceptance rate
-
SAT average
30.9%
150%-time completion
$38,349
10-yr median earnings
-
First-year retention

How Tidewater Community College ranks in Virginia

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

Metric Tidewater Community College State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $38,349 #79 of 125 37th
Average net price $11,762 #29 of 107 73rd (lower is better)
150%-time completion 30.9% #93 of 102 9th
Undergraduate enrollment 12,082 #10 of 126 92nd

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
79Tidewater Community CollegeThis school$38,349$11,762

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at Tidewater Community College

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 Tidewater Community College - 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 $5,588
Out-of-State Tuition $12,296
Average Net Price $11,762
30.1%
Pell Grant Rate
8.4%
Federal Loan Rate
$10,000
Median Debt
$106/mo
Monthly Payment

What students pay at Tidewater Community College rose +25.3% since 2013

Average net price for the reported Title IV-recipient cohort went from $6,379 in 2013 to $7,991 in 2023, a rise of $1,612 in nominal dollars. Across the 4,315 colleges measured over the same 2013–2023 span, the median change was +14.6%.

Average net price, 2013–2023

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

2013: $6,3792014: $6,7672015: $7,1262016: $8,2602017: $8,0512018: $8,1052019: $8,4082020: $7,3122021: $7,6602022: $8,5792023: $7,991
2013 · $6,3792023 · $7,991

Over the same years, enrollment went -54.6% (25,981 → 11,797 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

59.9%
Female
41.6%
First Generation

Outcomes

$32,700
Median Earnings (6yr)
48.0%
Earning Over $25K
52.3%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 30.9%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $32,700
Median earnings 10 years after entry $38,349
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 48.0%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 52.3%
Median federal student debt At completion $10,000
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $106/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Associate's 24 1,975 $51,146 $78,996 $12,542
Certificate 21 1,110 $46,604 $80,473 $10,076

Top programs at Tidewater Community College 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
Computer and Information Sciences, General Certificate 9 $80,473 -
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Associate's 70 $78,996 $11,600
Engineering, General Associate's 76 $76,492 $9,004
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Associate's 64 $71,342 $10,450
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians Associate's 12 $69,811 -
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers Associate's 20 $67,415 -
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians Certificate 128 $66,662 $4,719
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians Certificate 31 $65,351 $9,012
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers Certificate 70 $64,803 -
Accounting and Related Services Certificate 46 $60,390 $8,956
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians Associate's 24 $57,951 $7,000
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Certificate 64 $55,482 $7,225
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians Associate's 10 $54,518 -
Funeral Service and Mortuary Science Associate's 18 $52,870 -
Business Administration, Management and Operations Associate's 253 $52,533 $9,300

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the admissions statistics for Tidewater Community College?
Tidewater Community College is a public institution in Norfolk, Virginia. Undergraduate enrollment is 12,082 students.
How much do Tidewater Community College former students earn?
Federally aided former students at Tidewater Community College who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $38,349 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $32,700.
How much does Tidewater Community College cost?
The average net price at Tidewater Community College is $11,762. In-state tuition is $5,588 and out-of-state tuition is $12,296. Median student debt at graduation is $10,000.
What is the graduation rate at Tidewater Community College?
Tidewater Community College has a 30.9% completion rate within 150% of normal program time at a less-than-four-year institution.
Is Tidewater Community College worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Tidewater Community College is $10,000, while former students earn a median of $38,349 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 26% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 52.3% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $106.

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 Tidewater Community College

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.