Urban Studies/Affairs graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn $46,924 median salary — below the national average for this program.

Urban Studies/Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, Virginia • Master's

Median Earnings
$46,924
Graduates earn below the national average for this program

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Urban Studies/Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University

This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Virginia Commonwealth University and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Urban Studies/Affairs at the master's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 13 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Virginia Commonwealth University, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.

Median graduate earnings of $46,924 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $71,407 across all institutions offering Urban Studies/Affairs, graduates here earn below the national average for this program. Across all programs at Virginia Commonwealth University, the mean median-earnings figure is $74,006, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.

Debt signals complete the ROI picture. Median federal debt is not separately reported for this program at this school.. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.

Earnings Comparison

This School
$46,924
Urban Studies/Affairs
National Average
$71,407
All schools, same program
School Average
$74,006
All programs at Virginia Commonwealth University

Program Details

Master's
Credential Level
13
Completers (IPEDS)
37
Schools Offering

Debt & ROI

$46,924
Median Earnings

Urban Studies/Affairs at Other Schools

About the Data

Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.

Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.