2023 Best Value Economics Schools in Virginia
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Economics School for You
Economics is the #26 most popular major in Virginia with 1,329 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value Economics Schools in Virginia ranking. This report analyzed 18 schools in Virginia to see which ones offered the best value programs for economics students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
Top 10 Best Economics Schools
Our 2023 rankings named James Madison University the best value school in Virginia for economics students. Located in the city of Harrisonburg, JMU is a public school with a very large student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at JMU are $12,638 per year. After completing their degree, economics graduates from JMU carry an average student debtload of $20,250. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $526, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
JMU also claimed a spot on our Best Economics Schools in Virginia list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
Full Economics at James Madison University Report
Request Information
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of Virginia - Main Campus. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in Virginia list. University of Virginia is a very large public school located in the suburb of Charlottesville.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at University of Virginia are $19,785 per year. Economics majors at University of Virginia take out an average of $18,290 in student loans while working on their egree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $535.
University of Virginia did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our Best Economics Schools in Virginia list.
Read full report on Economics at University of Virginia - Main Campus
Request Information
Out of the 18 schools in Virginia that were part of this year’s ranking, Virginia Tech landed the # 3 spot on the list. Virginia Tech is a fairly large public school located in the city of Blacksburg.
Virginia Tech undergraduate students pay an average of $14,174 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that economics majors at Virginia Tech take out is $22,214.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Virginia Tech is ranked #3 for overall quality for economics in Virginia.
Read full report on Economics at Virginia Tech
Request Information
The excellent programs at George Mason University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best economics schools in Virginia. GMU is a fairly large public school located in the large suburb of Fairfax.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at GMU are $13,119 a year. Economics majors at GMU take out an average of $22,987 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $263.
GMU excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Economics Schools in Virginia list.
Read full report on Economics at George Mason University
Request Information
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Old Dominion University. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in Virginia list. Old Dominion is a very large public school located in the city of Norfolk.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Old Dominion are $10,800 per year.
Request Information
University of Mary Washington landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value economics programs. UMW is a small public school located in the midsize suburb of Fredericksburg.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UMW are $13,800 per year. On average, economics graduates from UMW take out $23,250 in student loans while working on their degree.
Request Information
Christopher Newport University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in Virginia ranking. CNU is a small public school located in the medium-sized city of Newport News.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at CNU are $14,924 a year. After completing their degree, economics graduates from CNU carry an average student debtload of $22,500.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, CNU also is in the top 15% of our Best Economics Schools in Virginia ranking.
Full Economics at Christopher Newport University Report
Request Information
With a ranking of #8, Radford University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for economics students. Located in the suburb of Radford, Radford is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Radford are $11,542 per year. After completing their degree, economics graduates from Radford carry an average student debtload of $25,999.
Read full report on Economics at Radford University
Request Information
William & Mary landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value economics programs. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school located in the suburb of Williamsburg.
William & Mary undergraduate students pay an average of $23,812 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that economics majors at William & Mary take out is $21,250.
William & Mary also made our Best Economics Schools in Virginia list, coming in at #5.
Read full report on Economics at William & Mary
Request Information
Virginia Military Institute landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value economics programs. VMI is a small public school located in the town of Lexington.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at VMI are $19,670 a year. The average amount in student loans that economics majors at VMI take out is $19,750.
VMI did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our Best Economics Schools in Virginia list.
Request InformationBest Value Economics Colleges in the Southeast Region
Explore all the Best Value Economics Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Georgia | 642 |
| North Carolina | 1,251 |
| Florida | 1,443 |
| Tennessee | 436 |
| Kentucky | 222 |
| South Carolina | 316 |
| Louisiana | 209 |
| Arkansas | 103 |
| Alabama | 107 |
| Mississippi | 63 |
| West Virginia | 42 |
More Economics Rankings in Virginia
Economics Related Majors for Economics
Economics is one of 12 different types of programs to choose from.
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Political Science & Government | 49,282 |
| Sociology | 38,475 |
| General Social Sciences | 18,997 |
| International Relations & National Security | 14,306 |
| Anthropology | 11,415 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 18 schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to pixabay.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.