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Is Tidewater Community College worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Tidewater Community, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Stretch
Tidewater Community sits in the stretch band for a typical family. The long-run earnings picture at $38,349 helps, but median debt of $10,000 plus yearly net price of $11,762 creates a tighter path. For context, Tidewater Community's net price is about 1% above the typical 2-year, public school. It can work, but the financing plan has to be deliberate.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 791 similar 2-year, public schools
This school
$7,599
/yrAverage school like this
$7,555
/yrNet price is slightly above average
You'd pay about $44 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $0 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$11,762
Median earnings 10 years out
$38,349
Median debt at graduation
$10,000
Graduation rate
31%
At Tidewater Community, a typical graduate carries about $10,000 in student debt and earns roughly $38,349 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $114 per month, or 4% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $3,451 less than the typical high school graduate ($41,800) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties undergraduate student-loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
62% of former students here out-earned that benchmark ten years after entry, per College Scorecard.
Context, not a federal determination: the official test will use earnings measured four years after completion and thresholds the Department of Education has not yet published, which may vary by state. Our figure is College Scorecard median earnings ten years after entry. How this works
What this means for your family
Tidewater Community is a two year school in Norfolk, VA. For many families, the real question is not just sticker price but what this path unlocks next, whether that is direct employment, transfer, or a lower cost route into a four year degree.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
2-year
Richard Bland
South Prince George, VA
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $13,045
2-year
Columbia
Vienna, VA
Worth-It Score: 77/100
Median net price: $10,171
2-year
Blue Ridge Community
Weyers Cave, VA
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $13,997
2-year
Northern Virginia Community
Annandale, VA
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $9,919
2-year
Avi Career Training
vienna, VA
Worth-It Score: 82/100
Median net price: $15,361
Common questions about Tidewater Community
The median net price at Tidewater Community is $11,762 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at community colleges options in Virginia? See the most affordable community colleges in Virginia →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →