Best Online Master’s Programs in Virginia 2023

Published: May 11, 2022
Updated: Sep 8, 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
Virginia Tech
Virginia Commonwealth University
Hampton University
Old Dominion University
Liberty University
James Madison University
Virginia State University
Radford University
Hollins University

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
Virginia Tech 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
Virginia Tech $14,098
Hampton University $13,099
Mary Baldwin University $13,000
Virginia Commonwealth University $12,618

Virginia Wesleyan University
Mary Baldwin University
Shenandoah University
Randolph College
Marymount University
Longwood University
Norfolk State University
Regent University
University of Mary Washington
Hollins University

University of Virginia 21%
Regent University 41%
Virginia Tech 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
Virginia Tech 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
Virginia Tech $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

Table of Contents

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.

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

Methodology

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.

Median Salaries of Top Careers in Virginia

The following graph depicts the average salaries of top occupations in different industries in Virginia.

Source: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Annual Salary

131790Personal Financial Advisors

136710Computer Network Architects

139180Computer Hardware Engineers

143150Political Scientists

243750Chief Executives

Best Online Master’s Programs in Virginia 2023

Top 10 Online Master's Programs in Virginia

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in Virginia

What are Virginia’s Colleges & Universities?

Median Salaries of Top Careers in Virginia

Best Online Master’s Program in Virginia 2022

Online Master's Degrees

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Virginia’s Best Grad Programs in Your Area Interest