Security Science and Technology at Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
52
Optimistic
51
Base Case
39
Pessimistic
Earnings
$37,501/yr (-7% vs median)
AI Risk
High (46% exposed)
Job Market
Very Large (385,400 openings/yr)
ROI
8.2x earnings multiple (3.5x out-of-state)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Security Science and Technology graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $544K | $541K | $493K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 8.3x | 8.2x | 7.5x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 3.5x | 3.5x | 3.2x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 34% | 32% | 23% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 52 | 51 | 39 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$65,832
Out-of-state: $156,168 (3.5x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$24,583
7.9 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$58,080
55% growth from Year 1
About Virginia Commonwealth University
With 93% of applicants admitted, Virginia Commonwealth University prioritizes broad access, serving a student body of 20,797 in Richmond, VA.
See all programs and financial aid at Virginia Commonwealth University →Top Career Paths
Managers, all other
$136,550/yr
Information security analysts
$124,910/yr
Computer occupations, all other
$108,970/yr
Compare & Explore
Security Science and Technology at Other Schools
Other Majors at Virginia Commonwealth University
Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?
For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Virginia Commonwealth University's Security Science and Technology program score?
A score of 51/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Virginia Commonwealth University trails the majority of Security Science and Technology programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
How vulnerable is Security Science and Technology to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Security Science and Technology careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 46% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →