Information Science/Studies at University of Richmond

Virginia's information science programs show dramatic variation in outcomes, from Radford's $46,000 to James Madison's $80,000, making it difficult to predict where University of Richmond would land in this range. The $58,550 figure here represents the median across seven Virginia programs—essentially the middle of the pack—but Richmond's 23% admission rate and 1474 average SAT suggest its graduates might command higher salaries than this state-wide average implies.

The estimated $26,700 debt load, derived from similar private institutions nationally, comes in well below Virginia's $39,000 median for this field and translates to a manageable 0.46 debt-to-earnings ratio if the salary estimate holds. That's reasonable leverage for a credential that could realistically produce anywhere from $58,000 to potentially $80,000 in starting earnings, given the school's selectivity. The low 18% Pell grant enrollment also suggests Richmond may offer stronger financial aid to students who need it, potentially reducing actual debt below this estimate.

The core question is whether Richmond delivers outcomes closer to James Madison or Christopher Newport—and without graduate-specific data, that's genuinely unknown. If your child thrives in selective environments and Richmond's fit justifies the investment on other grounds, the debt burden looks sustainable. But if you're choosing purely on ROI, schools with proven track records above $70,000 offer more certainty.