Career outcomes for Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University graduates
Per-major median earnings and 10-year projection bands. Numbers come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (most recent release); trajectory bands come from the life-path model run server-side with a synthetic profile.
School-wide 10-year median earnings
$88,716
Median earnings of federally-aided graduates 10 years after first enrollment, across all majors at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Top majors by graduates
| Major | Graduates / yr | Median earnings 4 years out | Work in Virginia 1 year out | Graduate degree or certificate 5 years out | Trajectory | Projection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. | 542 | $108,726 | 66% | — | Run mine |
Went on to a research doctorate
2.9per 100 bachelor's graduatesU.S. average: 2.0
From 2016 to 2025, 1,630 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University graduates earned a research doctorate, most often in engineering, biological and biomedical sciences, and education.
Research doctorates (PhD, EdD and similar) only: medical, law and business degrees aren't counted. The rate divides those doctorates by the bachelor's degrees Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University awarded from 2008 to 2017, allowing for the typical eight-year gap; fields with longer paths, like the humanities, read low. Source: NCSES Survey of Earned Doctorates and IPEDS completions.
Peer schools at this earnings band
Binghamton University, NY
30 majors with data·$89,136
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, CA
47 majors with data·$96,304
Citadel Military College of South Carolina, SC
5 majors with data·$82,609
See your own 10-year projection
The rows above use a synthetic profile (median household income, in-state residency). The life-path tool runs the same model on your actual income, family size, residency, and intended major.
Open the life-path toolShare
Earnings and graduate counts from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (most recent release). Last updated October 19, 2026. Methodology.