Head-to-head comparison
Blue Ridge Community College vs Virginia Union University: which has better ROI?
Option A Weyers Cave, VA
Blue Ridge Community College
- Net price / year
- $13,997
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,644
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Richmond, VA
Virginia Union University
- Net price / year
- $13,235
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,275
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Blue Ridge Community College comes closer — median earnings $42,644 against a $55,988 total, vs $38,275 at Virginia Union University. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Blue Ridge Community College | Virginia Union University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $13,997 | $13,235 |
| Total net cost | $55,988 | $52,940 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,644 | $38,275 |
| Median debt | $10,409 | $29,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$170,308 | -$254,640 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Blue Ridge Community College or Virginia Union University?
Virginia Union University, at $13,235 a year after aid versus $13,997 — a gap of $762 a year, or $3,048 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Blue Ridge Community College or Virginia Union University graduates earn more?
Blue Ridge Community College graduates report a median $42,644 ten years after entry, $4,369 more than the $38,275 at Virginia Union University. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Blue Ridge Community College or Virginia Union University?
Blue Ridge Community College: its completers carry a median $10,409 in federal loans versus $29,000 at Virginia Union University, a difference of $18,591. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
40% of students finish at Blue Ridge Community College, against 34% at Virginia Union University. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.