2023 Best Value Bachelor's Degree Schools in Virginia
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices
Today's students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. 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 and bootcamps that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
The Best Value Bachelor's Degree Schools in Virginia ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 38 schools in Virginia to see which ones offered the best value bachelor's degree programs for students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
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Top Value Bachelor's Degree Schools in Virginia
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found James Madison University to be the best value school for students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Virginia. JMU is a public institution located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5,002 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
JMU undergraduate students pay an average of $29,564 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,564 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at JMU. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 98% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, JMU also did well on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Virginia Tech is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree who want the most bang for their educational buck. Located in Blacksburg, Virginia, the large public school awarded 7,699 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Virginia Tech are $33,857 a year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $21,875 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Virginia Tech does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 99% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Virginia Tech did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia list.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Old Dominion University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia list. Old Dominion is a large public school situated in Norfolk, Virginia. It awarded 4,024 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Old Dominion undergraduate students pay an average of $30,960 in tuition and fees each year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $26,724 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Old Dominion does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2019-2020 year, about 99% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Out of the 38 schools in Virginia that were part of this year’s value ranking, George Mason University landed the # 4 spot on the list. GMU is a large public school situated in Fairfax, Virginia. It awarded 6,388 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at GMU are $36,579 per year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,883 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at GMU. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 99% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Out of the 38 schools in Virginia that were part of this year’s value ranking, University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, the large public school awarded 5,493 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
University of Virginia undergraduate students pay an average of $54,438 in tuition and fees each year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $18,266 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at University of Virginia, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 100% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
University of Virginia also took the #2 spot in our Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia rankings.
With a ranking of #6, Radford University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Radford is located in Radford, Virginia and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,766 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Radford are $23,624 a year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $25,408 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Radford does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 87% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Christopher Newport University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia ranking. CNU is a public institution located in Newport News, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1,200 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at CNU are $27,790 a year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $21,991 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that CNU does offer online classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 96% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Virginia Military Institute landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree programs. Located in Lexington, Virginia, the small public school awarded 413 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
VMI undergraduate students pay an average of $48,324 in tuition and fees each year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $20,707 in loans while pursuing their degree.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, VMI is ranked #3 for overall quality in Virginia.
Strayer University - Virginia ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia list. Located in Arlington, Virginia, the small private for-profit school handed out 667 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Strayer University - Virginia are $13,515 a year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $42,631 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out Strayer University - Virginia. Every undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
University of Mary Washington came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia ranking. This small public school is located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and it awarded 1,083 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at UMW are $30,226 a year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $21,222 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at UMW, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 97% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Virginia State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia list. This small public school is located in Petersburg, Virginia, and it awarded 626 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Virginia State are $20,909 a year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $31,008 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Virginia State does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 0% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Virginia Commonwealth University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #12 on the list. This large public school is located in Richmond, Virginia, and it awarded 5,512 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at VCU are $36,366 a year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,661 in student loans.
Online courses are available at VCU, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 96% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #13, Longwood University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Longwood University is a small public school located in Farmville, Virginia that handed out 777 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Longwood undergraduate students pay an average of $25,910 in tuition and fees each year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $23,561 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Longwood, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 65% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
William & Mary ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia list. William & Mary is located in Williamsburg, Virginia and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,983 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at William & Mary are $47,038 per year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,131 in student loans.
William & Mary does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 97% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
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 in Virginia.
Liberty University landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree programs. Liberty University is a large private not-for-profit school located in Lynchburg, Virginia that handed out 10,381 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Liberty University undergraduate students pay an average of $16,160 in tuition and fees each year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $31,644 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Liberty University, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2019-2020 about 88% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
ECPI University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #16 on the list. ECPI University is located in Virginia Beach, Virginia and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,310 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
ECPI University undergraduate students pay an average of $17,479 in tuition and fees each year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $34,218 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since ECPI University does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 44% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Stratford University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia list. Stratford University is located in Fairfax, Virginia and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 312 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Stratford University are $15,130 per year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $44,767 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Stratford University does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 80% took at least some of their classes online.
South University, Virginia Beach landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree programs. South University, Virginia Beach is a very small private for-profit school located in Virginia Beach, Virginia that handed out 61 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at South University, Virginia Beach are $18,000 per year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $45,196 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at South University, Virginia Beach. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 44% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #19, Virginia Union University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Richmond, Virginia, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 178 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at VUU are $13,530 a year.
Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out VUU. Every undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Regent University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia list. Located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 677 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Regent are $18,820 per year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $30,172 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Regent. During the 2019-2020 year, about 92% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Washington and Lee University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #21 on the list. Washington and Lee is located in Lexington, Virginia and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 585 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
Washington and Lee undergraduate students pay an average of $59,380 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $19,229 in student loans.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Washington and Lee is ranked #1 for overall quality in Virginia.
Bluefield College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia list. Bluefield College is a very small private not-for-profit school located in Bluefield, Virginia that handed out 220 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Bluefield College are $28,870 per year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $23,910 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Bluefield College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 34% took at least some of their classes online.
Randolph - Macon College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia ranking. Located in Ashland, Virginia, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 400 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Randolph - Macon are $45,150 a year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $23,303 in loans while pursuing their degree.
In addition to its great value ranking, Randolph - Macon is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia list.
Shenandoah University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #24 on the list. Shenandoah is located in Winchester, Virginia and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 567 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Shenandoah are $34,490 per year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $26,751 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Shenandoah. In 2019-2020 about 28% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
University of Lynchburg landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree programs. Lynchburg, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 428 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Lynchburg are $33,500 a year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $23,311 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Lynchburg does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2019-2020 about 85% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- 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 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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