Specialized school
#1 Colleges with the highest graduation rates in AmericaCentra College
Lynchburg, VA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#1 of 1,829
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#2 of 704
- Colleges where Pell Grant students thrive in America#1 of 154
- Best colleges for nursing in America#61 of 1,068
- Best small colleges in America#57 of 906
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#63 of 684
In Virginia
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.100%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.3 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$9,536
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 212 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 9% · Women 91% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 56% |
| Total students | 212 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $15,250 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 100% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 72% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $60,122 |
| Admission rate | 100% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,033 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 47% |
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Nursing |
Campus life
| Setting | City |
|---|---|
| Part-time undergraduates | 87% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 50% |
| Students per faculty member | 3 to 1 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 57%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $1,594IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Lynchburg Regional Airport - Preston Glenn Field (LYH)About 6 miles away · about 20 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Richmond International Airport (RIC)About 102 miles away |
| Town population | 79,497Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | GreensboroAbout 97 miles away · about 2 hours 30 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 36°F in January · 75°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Lynchburg #2, VA, about 4 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Centra College’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 11% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How hard is it to get into Centra College?
- Centra College admitted 100% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Centra College’s graduates do?
- 100% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $60,122; the median federal debt at graduation is $15,250.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 232618
- Carnegie classification: Special focus: health professions
- Accreditation: Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: Centra vs Chamberlain University-Indiana · Centra vs Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences · Centra vs Concorde Career College-Kansas City
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