US CollegesColleges in Virginia: cost, admission and results
80 degree-granting colleges and universities in Virginia, with the admission rate, net price, graduation rate and earnings of each. The largest are Liberty University (50,012 undergraduates), Northern Virginia Community College (33,048 undergraduates), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (30,923 undergraduates).
Virginia at a glance
- Colleges on this site
- 80
- Public / private nonprofit / for-profit
- 23 / 41 / 16
- Median in-state tuition and fees
- $18,064
- Median net price a year
- $22,186
- Median admission rate
- 83%
- Median graduation rate
- 52%
- Median earnings 10 years on
- $56,693
No college in this list matches.
| College | Admission rate | Net price a year | Graduation rate | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American National UniversitySalem, VA · Private for-profit | not reported | $17,696 | 28% | $31,618 |
| Appalachian College of PharmacyOakwood, VA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Appalachian School of LawGrundy, VA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Arizona College of Nursing - ChesapeakeChesapeake, VA · Private for-profit | 100% | $35,466 | not reported | $41,223 |
| Arizona College of Nursing-Falls ChurchFalls Church, VA · Private for-profit | 100% | $32,806 | not reported | $41,223 |
| Averett UniversityDanville, VA · Private nonprofit | 57% | $27,629 | 45% | $56,693 |
| Bluefield UniversityBluefield, VA · Private nonprofit | 59% | $18,402 | 26% | $52,571 |
| Bon Secours Memorial College of NursingRichmond, VA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | $79,558 |
| Bon Secours St Mary's Hospital School of Medical ImagingRichmond, VA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | $80,445 |
| Bridgewater CollegeBridgewater, VA · Private nonprofit | 92% | $21,083 | 52% | $58,669 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia BeachVirginia Beach, VA · Private nonprofit | not reported | $12,243 | 32% | $37,469 |
| Centra CollegeLynchburg, VA · Private nonprofit | 100% | not reported | 100% | $57,204 |
| Chamberlain University-VirginiaVienna, VA · Private for-profit | 90% | $44,710 | 0% | $96,897 |
| Christopher Newport UniversityNewport News, VA · Public | 86% | $22,310 | 75% | $65,183 |
| DeVry University-VirginiaArlington, VA · Private for-profit | not reported | not reported | 0% | $51,716 |
| Divine Mercy UniversitySterling, VA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| ECPI UniversityVirginia Beach, VA · Private for-profit | 75% | $22,484 | 41% | $49,806 |
| Eastern Mennonite UniversityHarrisonburg, VA · Private nonprofit | 100% | $24,731 | 60% | $58,912 |
| Edward Via College of Osteopathic MedicineBlacksburg, VA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Emory & Henry UniversityEmory, VA · Private nonprofit | 84% | $24,031 | 58% | $52,287 |
| Ferrum CollegeFerrum, VA · Private nonprofit | 89% | $18,070 | 35% | $48,617 |
| Galen Health Institutes-RichmondRichmond, VA · Private for-profit | not reported | $28,567 | 38% | $69,188 |
| Galen Health Institutes-RoanokeRoanoke, VA · Private for-profit | not reported | $29,213 | not reported | $69,188 |
| George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA · Public | 87% | $14,697 | 66% | $79,923 |
| Germanna Community CollegeLocust Grove, VA · Public | not reported | $5,277 | 47% | $45,438 |
| Hampden-Sydney CollegeHampden-Sydney, VA · Private nonprofit | 41% | $26,626 | 63% | $76,989 |
| Hampton UniversityHampton, VA · Private nonprofit | 62% | $26,214 | 64% | $63,602 |
| Hollins UniversityRoanoke, VA · Private nonprofit | 68% | $21,238 | 69% | $48,102 |
| James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, VA · Public | 72% | $23,550 | 80% | $75,482 |
| Liberty UniversityLynchburg, VA · Private nonprofit | 99% | $29,235 | 64% | $46,945 |
| Longwood UniversityFarmville, VA · Public | 90% | $20,773 | 62% | $55,653 |
| Mary Baldwin UniversityStaunton, VA · Private nonprofit | not reported | $15,810 | 38% | $48,703 |
| Marymount UniversityArlington, VA · Private nonprofit | 93% | $28,521 | 55% | $74,032 |
| Norfolk State UniversityNorfolk, VA · Public | 88% | $12,180 | 35% | $49,237 |
| Northern Virginia Community CollegeAnnandale, VA · Public | not reported | $5,880 | 35% | $56,892 |
| Old Dominion UniversityNorfolk, VA · Public | 90% | $12,913 | 43% | $60,482 |
| Patrick & Henry Community CollegeMartinsville, VA · Public | not reported | $3,885 | 44% | $37,586 |
| Patrick Henry CollegePurcellville, VA · Private nonprofit | 77% | not reported | 74% | not reported |
| Paul D Camp Community CollegeFranklin, VA · Public | not reported | $4,676 | 42% | $37,563 |
| Piedmont Virginia Community CollegeCharlottesville, VA · Public | not reported | $9,613 | 35% | $43,860 |
| Radford UniversityRadford, VA · Public | 90% | $13,701 | 48% | $59,134 |
| Randolph CollegeLynchburg, VA · Private nonprofit | 94% | $22,101 | 54% | $53,121 |
| Randolph-Macon CollegeAshland, VA · Private nonprofit | 87% | $28,145 | 74% | $64,714 |
| Regent UniversityVirginia Beach, VA · Private nonprofit | 38% | $18,135 | 52% | $51,408 |
| Richard Bland CollegeSouth Prince George, VA · Public | 89% | $14,830 | 34% | $45,208 |
| Riverside College of Health SciencesNewport News, VA · Private nonprofit | 13% | $26,893 | 75% | $74,633 |
| Roanoke CollegeSalem, VA · Private nonprofit | 83% | $25,867 | 64% | $64,329 |
| Sentara College of Health SciencesChesapeake, VA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | $80,393 |
| Shenandoah UniversityWinchester, VA · Private nonprofit | 77% | $31,149 | 63% | $66,382 |
| South University-RichmondGlen Allen, VA · Private for-profit | not reported | $27,241 | 0% | $39,314 |
| South University-Virginia BeachVirginia Beach, VA · Private for-profit | not reported | $24,432 | 17% | $39,314 |
| Southern Virginia UniversityBuena Vista, VA · Private nonprofit | 96% | $23,913 | 40% | $53,570 |
| Southside College of Health SciencesColonial Heights, VA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | $77,002 |
| Sovah School of Health ProfessionsDanville, VA · Private for-profit | not reported | not reported | not reported | $56,789 |
| Strayer University-VirginiaArlington, VA · Private for-profit | not reported | $17,213 | 21% | $44,016 |
| Sweet Briar CollegeSweet Briar, VA · Private nonprofit | 76% | $21,856 | 57% | $54,986 |
| Tidewater Community CollegeNorfolk, VA · Public | not reported | $11,681 | 32% | $41,596 |
| Union Presbyterian SeminaryRichmond, VA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| University of FairfaxSalem, VA · Private for-profit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| University of LynchburgLynchburg, VA · Private nonprofit | 43% | $27,198 | 59% | $57,425 |
| University of Management and TechnologyArlington, VA · Private for-profit | not reported | not reported | 100% | $68,470 |
| University of Mary WashingtonFredericksburg, VA · Public | 80% | $23,821 | 65% | $66,028 |
| University of RichmondUniversity of Richmond, VA · Private nonprofit | 22% | $34,256 | 87% | $92,362 |
| University of Virginia's College at WiseWise, VA · Public | 29% | $5,869 | 44% | $50,389 |
| University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, VA · Public | 17% | $18,056 | 94% | $96,468 |
| University of the Potomac-VA CampusFALLS CHURCH, VA · Private for-profit | not reported | not reported | 62% | $43,211 |
| Virginia Beach Theological SeminaryVirginia Beach, VA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Virginia Christian CollegeDumfries, VA · Private nonprofit | not reported | $25,872 | not reported | not reported |
| Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, VA · Public | 93% | $25,037 | 65% | $64,442 |
| Virginia Military InstituteLexington, VA · Public | 71% | $15,585 | 72% | $85,178 |
| Virginia Peninsula Community CollegeHampton, VA · Public | not reported | $6,830 | 31% | $41,835 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, VA · Public | 55% | $25,808 | 86% | $88,716 |
| Virginia State UniversityPetersburg, VA · Public | 89% | $14,893 | 37% | $49,358 |
| Virginia Union UniversityRichmond, VA · Private nonprofit | 98% | $29,932 | 28% | $44,816 |
| Virginia University of Integrative MedicineVienna, VA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Virginia University of LynchburgLynchburg, VA · Private nonprofit | not reported | $20,240 | 35% | $31,749 |
| Virginia Wesleyan UniversityVirginia Beach, VA · Private nonprofit | 73% | $20,237 | 45% | $54,390 |
| Washington University of Science and TechnologyAlexandria, VA · Private for-profit | 7.3% | $22,271 | 33% | not reported |
| Washington and Lee UniversityLexington, VA · Private nonprofit | 14% | $25,279 | 96% | $102,966 |
| William & MaryWilliamsburg, VA · Public | 34% | $18,880 | 88% | $83,488 |
"Not reported" means the Department of Education has no figure, often because the college is small, new, or does not take first-time students. Medians are the middle value of the colleges listed here.
The colleges of Virginia in brief
Of the 80 colleges listed for Virginia, 23 are public, 41 are private nonprofit and 16 are private for-profit. By level, 54 mainly award bachelor's degrees, 18 mainly award two-year associate degrees and 8 mainly award graduate degrees. Together they teach about 339,647 undergraduates, 69% of them at public colleges. The three largest, Liberty University, Northern Virginia Community College and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, hold 34% of the total, and the middle-sized college has 1,217 undergraduates. The towns with the most colleges are Richmond (6), Virginia Beach (6) and Lynchburg (5).
What college costs in Virginia
At the public colleges, the median published tuition and fees are $12,952 a year for students from Virginia and $28,010 for students from elsewhere. At the private nonprofit colleges the median is $31,551. Published prices are not what most families pay. Counting colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the lowest average net price after grants is at Patrick & Henry Community College ($3,885) and Paul D Camp Community College ($4,676) and the highest at Chamberlain University-Virginia ($44,710) and University of Richmond ($34,256). The median net price across the state, $22,186, is 28% above the national median of $17,357.
Getting in
47 of the 80 colleges report an admission rate. The hardest to get into are Washington University of Science and Technology (7.3% admitted), Riverside College of Health Sciences (13% admitted) and Washington and Lee University (14% admitted). 32 of them admit at least seven applicants in ten. 18 colleges have an open admission policy and report no rate: they do not turn applicants away on grades or test scores.
Finishing and earning
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the highest share of students finishing their course is at Washington and Lee University (96%), University of Virginia-Main Campus (94%) and William & Mary (88%). The median graduation rate of the state's colleges is 52%, against 49% for the country. Ten years after starting, former students with federal aid earn the most at Washington and Lee University ($102,966), Chamberlain University-Virginia ($96,897) and University of Virginia-Main Campus ($96,468). The state median for that measure is $56,693, 7% above the national $53,132. Students who finish leave with a median federal loan debt of $21,843 (national median $19,994). Earnings follow the subjects a college teaches as much as its quality, so compare like with like.
Questions about colleges in Virginia
How many colleges are there in Virginia?
This site lists 80 open, degree-granting colleges and universities in Virginia, out of 3,161 on the whole site. Schools that mainly give short certificates are not counted.
What is the largest college in Virginia?
Liberty University in Lynchburg, with about 50,012 undergraduate students.
Which college in Virginia has the lowest net price?
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, Patrick & Henry Community College: students with federal aid paid an average of $3,885 a year after grants. Students from other states or countries usually pay more.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, data released on 2 November 2026; checked in November 2026. Net price, debt and earnings describe students who received US federal aid. Costs change each year. This is official data for general information, not advice: confirm costs and admission rules on the college's own website and at collegescorecard.ed.gov.