Best Online Master’s Programs in Virginia 2023

Best Online Master’s Programs in Virginia 2023

By James Barham
Reviewed By AI Staff

Published: May 11, 2022
Updated: Mar 13, 2023

Find the best online colleges in Virginia ranked by the academic success of faculty and alumni associated with the colleges and universities and their online degree programs. Faculty and alumni with influential ideas are the foundation of respectable online degree programs employers can trust.

Top 10 Online Master's Programs in Virginia

University of Virginia

72%

57%

Virginia Commonwealth University

50%

Hampton University

43%

Old Dominion University

42%

Liberty University

40%

James Madison University

37%

Virginia State University

36%

Radford University

35%

University of Mary Washington

33%

Liberty University

99%

Old Dominion University

96%

Virginia State University

96%

Radford University

95%

Randolph College

94%

Virginia Commonwealth University

93%

Longwood University

90%

Norfolk State University

89%

Mary Baldwin University

87%

James Madison University

86%

Regent University

19 to 1

Virginia Commonwealth University

18 to 1

Old Dominion University

18 to 1

Liberty University

17 to 1

James Madison University

17 to 1

Norfolk State University

16 to 1

University of Virginia

15 to 1

Longwood University

15 to 1

Hampton University

15 to 1

14 to 1

Hollins University

$40,170

Virginia Wesleyan University

$36,910

Marymount University

$36,050

Shenandoah University

$34,490

Mary Baldwin University

$31,140

Hampton University

$29,312

Randolph College

$26,890

Liberty University

$22,713

Regent University

$18,820

University of Virginia

$16,547

Shenandoah University

$22,080

Marymount University

$20,520

University of Virginia

$17,674

Hollins University

$17,269

Randolph College

$17,100

Regent University

$15,590

$14,098

Hampton University

$13,099

Mary Baldwin University

$13,000

Virginia Commonwealth University

$12,618

Virginia Wesleyan University

20%

Mary Baldwin University

22%

Shenandoah University

23%

Marymount University

26%

Randolph College

26%

Longwood University

27%

Hollins University

30%

Norfolk State University

30%

Regent University

32%

University of Mary Washington

33%

University of Virginia

21%

Regent University

41%

56%

Shenandoah University

74%

Hollins University

75%

Hampton University

80%

University of Mary Washington

82%

Marymount University

84%

Virginia Wesleyan University

86%

James Madison University

86%

Randolph College

8 to 1

Hollins University

9 to 1

Shenandoah University

10 to 1

Mary Baldwin University

11 to 1

Virginia State University

12 to 1

Virginia Wesleyan University

12 to 1

University of Mary Washington

13 to 1

14 to 1

Marymount University

14 to 1

Radford University

14 to 1

Virginia State University

$5,540

Norfolk State University

$5,752

Old Dominion University

$7,029

James Madison University

$7,460

Radford University

$7,922

Longwood University

$8,180

University of Mary Washington

$8,678

$11,750

Virginia Commonwealth University

$12,094

University of Virginia

$16,547

Longwood University

$6,480

Liberty University

$7,847

Virginia State University

$8,375

University of Mary Washington

$8,676

Norfolk State University

$8,820

Radford University

$8,915

Virginia Wesleyan University

$8,982

Old Dominion University

$10,207

James Madison University

$11,184

Virginia Commonwealth University

$12,618

Featured Programs

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

Online master’s degrees offered by respected colleges and universities are generally respected by employers. The main thing to consider about your online master’s choices is whether the school name is well known and respected. In many cases, employers won’t know your degree was earned online. But even if they do, a degree from a respected college is automatically to your benefit.

We rank the colleges and universities in this list by the influence of their alumni and faculty. For master’s degree students, including online master’s degree students, having faculty who are influential in your field matters a lot. It’s a big indicator that you have the chance to get a quality education. And, knowing that you will join an alumni association with some impressive people is nice, too.

Frequently Asked Questions About Online Master’s Degrees

An online master’s degree costs about $40,000 for the average grad student. However, the cost of your online master’s degree will depend on the type of grad school you attend. In 2018-2019, the average cost for a year of tuition in a public grad school was $12,171. The average cost for a year of tuition in private, non-profit grad school was $27,776. An online master’s degree will usually cost about the same as a traditional master’s degree. Some schools will charge 5-10% more for online courses. This added cost pays for the technology and specialized training needed for online instruction. But getting a master’s degree online can also help you save money. The costs above don’t include expenses like housing, transportation, or certain campus fees. As an online grad student, you can save a lot of money by avoiding these added expenses. Many online master’s degree programs are also accelerated. Most master’s degree programs are designed to be completed in two years. But you may be able to earn your online master’s degree in as little as 12-18 months. Earning an accelerated online master’s degree can save you money on tuition.

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

Best Online Colleges in Virginia — Download Badge

How do we determine Virginia's best online master's degree programs?

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.

Best Online Master’s Program in Virginia 2022

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