Best Community Colleges in Virginia 2023

Best Community Colleges in Virginia 2023

The best community colleges provide an effective springboard into higher education, offering students high-quality two-year degree programs in a wide range of disciplines. The top-rated community colleges in Virginia offer a broad selection of associate’s degrees, affordable tuition rates, and strong partnerships with public four-year schools so that students can easily transfer their credits into accredited bachelor’s degree programs.

10 Best Community Colleges in Virginia

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      Colleges and Universities in Virginia

      Liberty University, a private Christian school in Lynchburg, is the largest school in Virginia, serving over 60,000 students. The largest public university, Virginia Tech, has a student population of about half that but offers many in-person degree programs as well as eight master’s programs and 19 certificate programs online. Students who attend Virginia Tech can pursue fields like engineering, criminal justice, education, and business.

      Find college admissions consultants in your state.

      The majority of Virginia’s universities and colleges could be considered small schools, serving populations of less than 5,000 students. Included on this list are public schools, like Christopher Newport University in Newport News, and private schools, like Hampton University, a historically black university in Hampton. Though most of its higher education institutes charge tuition fees above the national average, Virginia offers several loan forgiveness programs for qualifying attorneys and medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmaceutical professionals.

      Virginia is perhaps most famous for its rich history - but the state is also home to many unique museums and famous landmarks. For example, those who love the classics can visit the Edgar Allen Poe Museum in Richmond. Those who harbor romantic dreams of espionage and intrigue might visit the CIA Museum in McLean. And, if you like your attractions random, you could check out Virginia’s 300-yard-long natural tunnel or its 29-ton spinning granite ball. While you’re here, you might consider attending one of the 78 colleges located in the state.

      Learn more about Virginia’s higher education opportunities by checking out the state’s many colleges and universities.


      What are Virginia’s Colleges & Universities?

      Virginia’s Best Overall

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      We’ve identified 26 community colleges in Virginia. The following list shows the best community colleges and primarily associate degree granting colleges in Virginia.

      Best Community Colleges in Virginia

      1. Tuition + fees

        $6K

        Graduation

        33%

        Student body

        32K

        What is Northern Virginia Community College known for?

        Northern Virginia Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      2. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        44%

        Student body

        2K

        What is Danville Community College known for?

        Danville Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      3. Tuition + fees

        $6K

        Graduation

        26%

        Student body

        11K

        What is Tidewater Community College known for?

        Tidewater Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      4. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        28%

        Student body

        4K

        What is Virginia Peninsula Community College known for?

        Virginia Peninsula Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      5. #5

        Richard Bland College

        South Prince George , VA

        Tuition + fees

        $8K

        Acceptance

        72%

        Graduation

        40%

        Student body

        1K

        What is Richard Bland College known for?

        Richard Bland College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      6. #6

        Germanna Community College

        Locust Grove , VA

        Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        40%

        Student body

        5K

        What is Germanna Community College known for?

        Germanna Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      7. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        32%

        Student body

        3K

        What is Piedmont Virginia Community College known for?

        Piedmont Virginia Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      8. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        33%

        Student body

        3K

        What is Virginia Western Community College known for?

        Virginia Western Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      9. Tuition + fees

        $6K

        Graduation

        33%

        Student body

        32K

        What is Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale known for?

        Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

      10. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        41%

        Student body

        1K

        What is Patrick & Henry Community College known for?

        Patrick & Henry Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      11. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        41%

        Student body

        1K

        What is Virginia Highlands Community College known for?

        Virginia Highlands Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      12. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        42%

        Student body

        3K

        What is New River Community College known for?

        New River Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

      13. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        35%

        Student body

        2K

        What is Southwest Virginia Community College known for?

        Southwest Virginia Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      14. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        36%

        Student body

        2K

        What is Central Virginia Community College known for?

        Central Virginia Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      15. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        32%

        Student body

        2K

        What is Rappahannock Community College known for?

        Rappahannock Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

      16. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        42%

        Student body

        2K

        What is Southside Virginia Community College known for?

        Southside Virginia Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

      17. Tuition + fees

        $4K

        Graduation

        24%

        Student body

        5K

        What is J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College known for?

        J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      18. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        44%

        Student body

        2K

        What is Mountain Empire Community College known for?

        Mountain Empire Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

      19. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        44%

        Student body

        1K

        What is Wytheville Community College known for?

        Wytheville Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

      20. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        24%

        Student body

        <1K

        What is Paul D. Camp Community College known for?

        Paul D. Camp Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      21. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        33%

        Student body

        2K

        What is Blue Ridge Community College known for?

        Blue Ridge Community College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      22. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        47%

        Student body

        <1K

        What is Mountain Gateway Community College known for?

        Mountain Gateway Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

      23. #23

        Columbia College

        Vienna , VA

        Tuition + fees

        $10K

        Graduation

        63%

        Student body

        <1K

        What is Columbia College known for?

        Columbia College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

      24. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        45%

        Student body

        4K

        What is Laurel Ridge Community College known for?

        Laurel Ridge Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      25. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        30%

        Student body

        5K

        What is Brightpoint Community College known for?

        Brightpoint Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

        Most Influential Alumni

      26. Tuition + fees

        $5K

        Graduation

        37%

        Student body

        <1K

        What is Eastern Shore Community College known for?

        Eastern Shore Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

      2021 Ranking Archive

      Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

      1. Paul D. Camp Community College
      2. Rappahannock Community College
      3. Richard Bland College
      4. Piedmont Virginia Community College
      5. Southwest Virginia Community College
      6. Danville Community College
      7. Patrick & Henry Community College
      8. Tidewater Community College
      9. Virginia Western Community College
      10. Central Virginia Community College
      11. Mountain Gateway Community College
      12. Brightpoint Community College
      13. New River Community College
      14. Northern Virginia Community College
      15. Mountain Empire Community College
      16. Virginia Highlands Community College
      17. Wytheville Community College
      18. Blue Ridge Community College
      19. Southside Virginia Community College
      20. Virginia Peninsula Community College
      21. Germanna Community College
      22. J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College
      23. Eastern Shore Community College
      24. Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale

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