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Best Value Economics Schools in Virginia

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2023 Best Value Economics Schools in Virginia

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

18 Colleges
$25,623 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$54,485 Avg Salary

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.

2023 Best Value Economics Schools in Virginia

The colleges and universities below are the best value schools for economics majors pursuing a .

Top 10 Best Economics Schools

#1

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, VA
$12,638 Average Tuition & Fees

Our analysis found James Madison University to be the best value school for economics students who want to pursue a degree in Virginia. Located in the small city of Harrisonburg, JMU is a public college with a fairly large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at JMU are $12,638 a 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.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, JMU also is in the top 10% of our Best Economics Schools in Virginia ranking.

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$19,785 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 18 schools in Virginia that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the # 2 spot on the list. University of Virginia is a fairly 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 not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #1 on our Best Economics Schools in Virginia list.

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#3

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, VA
$14,174 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at Virginia Tech helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best economics schools in Virginia. Virginia Tech is a very 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.

Virginia Tech also made our Best Economics Schools in Virginia list, coming in at #3.

Full Economics at Virginia Tech Report

#4

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA
$13,119 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 18 schools in Virginia that were part of this year’s ranking, George Mason University landed the # 4 spot on the list. 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 also claimed a spot on our Best Economics Schools in Virginia list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.

Full Economics at George Mason University Report

#5

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA
$10,800 Average Tuition & Fees

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 fairly large public school located in the midsize city of Norfolk.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Old Dominion are $10,800 per year.

Read full report on Economics at Old Dominion University

#6

University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg, VA
$13,800 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #6, University of Mary Washington did quite well on this year’s best value schools for economics students. UMW is a small public school located in the suburb of Fredericksburg.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at UMW are $13,800 a year. On average, economics graduates from UMW take out $23,250 in student loans while working on their degree.

Full Economics at University of Mary Washington Report

#7

Christopher Newport University

Newport News, VA
$14,924 Average Tuition & Fees

Christopher Newport University landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value economics programs. CNU is a small public school located in the city of Newport News.

CNU undergraduate students pay an average of $14,924 in in-state tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, economics graduates from CNU carry an average student debtload of $22,500.

CNU excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Economics Schools in Virginia list.

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#8

Radford University

Radford, VA
$11,542 Average Tuition & Fees

Radford University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for economics students. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in the suburb of Radford, Radford is a public school with a medium-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.

Full Economics at Radford University Report

#9

William & Mary

Williamsburg, VA
$23,812 Average Tuition & Fees

William & Mary did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for economics students. It came in at #9 on the list. William & Mary is a moderately-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.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, William & Mary is ranked #5 for overall quality for economics in Virginia.

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#10

Virginia Military Institute

Lexington, VA
$19,670 Average Tuition & Fees

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.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at VMI are $19,670 per 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.

Read More…

Best 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

Economics is one of 12 different types of programs to choose from.

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.

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