Most Affordable Colleges in Virginia 2023

Most Affordable Colleges in Virginia 2023

By James Barham

Published: May 5, 2021
Updated: Mar 13, 2023

Here are the most affordable colleges and universities in Virginia. Our list will help you find the right kind of school for you, at a price you can afford.

10 Most Affordable Colleges in Virginia 2022

George Mason University

59%

57%

Virginia Commonwealth University

50%

Old Dominion University

42%

James Madison University

37%

Virginia State University

36%

Radford University

35%

Virginia Union University

35%

University of Mary Washington

33%

Christopher Newport University

32%

Old Dominion University

96%

Virginia State University

96%

Radford University

95%

Virginia Union University

94%

Virginia Commonwealth University

93%

George Mason University

91%

Longwood University

90%

Norfolk State University

89%

Christopher Newport University

89%

James Madison University

86%

Virginia Union University

21 to 1

Virginia Commonwealth University

18 to 1

Old Dominion University

18 to 1

George Mason University

17 to 1

James Madison University

17 to 1

Norfolk State University

16 to 1

Longwood University

15 to 1

14 to 1

Radford University

14 to 1

Christopher Newport University

14 to 1

Stratford University

$15,135

Virginia Union University

$13,530

Virginia Commonwealth University

$12,094

$11,750

Virginia University of Lynchburg

$10,136

George Mason University

$9,510

Christopher Newport University

$9,100

University of Mary Washington

$8,678

Longwood University

$8,180

Radford University

$7,922

$14,098

Stratford University

$13,368

George Mason University

$13,035

Virginia Commonwealth University

$12,618

Virginia Union University

$11,275

James Madison University

$11,184

Virginia University of Lynchburg

$11,170

Old Dominion University

$10,207

Radford University

$8,915

Norfolk State University

$8,820

University of Virginia's College at Wise

20%

Virginia University of Lynchburg

21%

Stratford University

22%

Longwood University

27%

Norfolk State University

30%

Christopher Newport University

32%

University of Mary Washington

33%

Virginia Union University

35%

Radford University

35%

Virginia State University

36%

56%

University of Mary Washington

82%

University of Virginia's College at Wise

83%

James Madison University

86%

Christopher Newport University

89%

Norfolk State University

89%

Longwood University

90%

George Mason University

91%

Virginia Commonwealth University

93%

Virginia Union University

94%

Stratford University

9 to 1

University of Virginia's College at Wise

11 to 1

Virginia State University

12 to 1

University of Mary Washington

13 to 1

14 to 1

Radford University

14 to 1

Christopher Newport University

14 to 1

Virginia University of Lynchburg

14 to 1

Longwood University

15 to 1

Norfolk State University

16 to 1

Virginia State University

$5,540

Norfolk State University

$5,752

University of Virginia's College at Wise

$5,864

Old Dominion University

$7,029

James Madison University

$7,460

Radford University

$7,922

Longwood University

$8,180

University of Mary Washington

$8,678

Christopher Newport University

$9,100

George Mason University

$9,510

Longwood University

$6,480

Christopher Newport University

$7,614

Virginia State University

$8,375

University of Mary Washington

$8,676

Norfolk State University

$8,820

Radford University

$8,915

Old Dominion University

$10,207

Virginia University of Lynchburg

$11,170

James Madison University

$11,184

Virginia Union University

$11,275

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

Virginia's Most Affordable Colleges and Universities Badge — Download Badge

How do we determine Virginia's best affordable colleges and universities?

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

There are 21 colleges and universities in Virginia with stated tuitions and fees under $20,000/year. The following list of the most affordable colleges and universities in Virginia is composed entirely of schools offering bachelor’s degree programs, have stated tuition and fees near or under the national average of $16,000/year, and are fully accredited colleges.

Most Affordable Colleges in Virginia 2022

These schools are ranked by academic excellence, and all under $20,000/year.

Build your own college ranking

Virginia’s Most Affordable Colleges in Your Area of Interest

2021 Ranking Archive