State Hub

Colleges in Virginia

CampusPin tracks 102 colleges in Virginia, 67 universities and 35 community colleges. Compare tuition, acceptance, size, and setting to build a shortlist that fits.

Colleges tracked

102

Universities

67

Community colleges

35

Avg. in-state tuition

$18k

About college search in Virginia

How Virginia's higher-education landscape shapes a search

Virginia’s public higher-education sector punches above its weight: the University of Virginia (Charlottesville), Virginia Tech (Blacksburg), William & Mary (Williamsburg), James Madison (Harrisonburg), George Mason (Fairfax), VCU (Richmond), and Old Dominion (Norfolk) together cover almost every public-university search a student could run. The Virginia Community College System (VCCS), 23 colleges across the state, is one of the most coordinated CC networks in the country and operates the state’s Guaranteed Admission Agreements (GAA) with most Virginia public universities.

Geographic context matters a lot in Virginia: Northern Virginia (around DC) is the most expensive cost-of-living region; the Hampton Roads area (Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News) anchors a separate higher-ed market; and Charlottesville, Blacksburg, and Harrisonburg are college-town markets organized around their flagship institution. Out-of-state students should verify residency rules; in-state status is materially valuable at UVA and Virginia Tech.

Multiple competitive public universities

UVA, Virginia Tech, William & Mary, James Madison, and George Mason each anchor a different academic profile. Virginia is unusual in having so many distinct public universities with strong reputations.

VCCS Guaranteed Admission Agreements

Students who complete an associate degree at a Virginia community college and meet GPA / program requirements are guaranteed admission to most Virginia public universities under VCCS’s GAA program.

Distinctive HBCUs

Virginia hosts several historically Black colleges and universities including Hampton University, Norfolk State, Virginia State, and Virginia Union.

Strong private liberal-arts options

Washington and Lee, the University of Richmond, Hollins, Sweet Briar, and Randolph (Lynchburg) add depth to Virginia’s private liberal-arts options.

Public university system

Virginia’s public university sector (no single statewide system)

Unlike many states, Virginia’s public universities are governed individually by their own boards of visitors rather than under one statewide system. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) coordinates state-level policy.

Community college network

Virginia Community College System (VCCS), 23 colleges

VCCS coordinates 23 community colleges across Virginia. The system operates Guaranteed Admission Agreements with most Virginia public universities and publishes program-specific transfer paths.

In-state vs. out-of-state tuition

Virginia’s in-state public tuition is in the mid-range nationally; out-of-state rates at UVA and Virginia Tech are substantially higher. In-state residency rules in Virginia are scrutinized closely, verify residency status directly with the institution before assuming the in-state rate applies.

Top metros for college search

Where Virginia's higher-education density concentrates

  • Northern Virginia (Fairfax / Arlington)

    Northern Virginia hosts George Mason University (Fairfax), Marymount (Arlington), and Northern Virginia Community College (one of the largest CCs in the U.S.).

  • Richmond

    Richmond anchors Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), the University of Richmond, Virginia Union (HBCU), and Reynolds Community College.

  • Hampton Roads (Norfolk / Virginia Beach / Newport News)

    Hampton Roads hosts Old Dominion, Norfolk State (HBCU), Hampton University (HBCU), Christopher Newport, and Tidewater Community College.

  • Charlottesville

    Charlottesville is built around the University of Virginia (UVA), the state’s primary public flagship.

  • Blacksburg / New River Valley

    Blacksburg is the home of Virginia Tech, the state’s major land-grant and STEM-focused public university.

  • Harrisonburg / Shenandoah Valley

    Harrisonburg is built around James Madison University (JMU); the Shenandoah Valley also hosts Bridgewater, Mary Baldwin, and Eastern Mennonite.

What Virginia actually costs

Median net price after grants
$13,183 for families under $30,000
$24,596 at $110,000 or more
Across 62 Virginia colleges reporting the full series. All five income bands
Median federal debt at graduation
$21,000 with 50.6% borrowing
Debt without the borrower share is misleading, so CampusPin never shows one alone. Debt by college
Studying entirely online
31% of Virginia students
Federal enrolment collection, weighted by students rather than campuses. Where they study

Every college we track

Colleges and universities in Virginia

Showing the 100 largest by enrollment of 102, grouped A to Z. Enrollment reflects size only and is not a measure of quality. Use search or filters to see the rest.

Filter all Virginia schools

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South region overview

What students weigh when searching colleges in Virginia

Across Virginia (VA), CampusPin currently indexes 102 institutions: 40 public and 62 private, split between 67 universities and 35 community colleges. Students often compare fast-growing metros, flagship publics, regional campuses, and cost-sensitive pathways across a wide mix of institutions.

Run one search for broad public options and another for community-college or commuter-oriented pathways.
Check campus setting and support services early because regional fit can vary more than names alone suggest.
Keep cost, transfer, and online flexibility visible if location is important but not completely fixed.

Browse by major

Virginia colleges by program

Jump straight to Virginia colleges and universities that offer a specific major. Each page compares tuition, acceptance rate, and enrollment for that program across Virginia.

Fields with a distinct set of Virginia colleges

90 fields where the colleges that awarded credentials in Virginia are a materially different set from those of any closely related field, based on federal completions data. Showing the 36 with the most colleges. The number is how many colleges awarded credentials.

How to use the Virginia hub

Start with CampusPin results filtered to Virginia so your first pass stays geographically focused.
Use school profiles to compare tuition, admissions, program format, and campus fit before building a shortlist.
If you are looking for lower-cost or transfer-first options, compare community colleges and four-year destinations separately.
Use blog guides and help-center content when you need stronger decision frameworks, not just more schools.

Next actions for Virginia

Explore all colleges in VirginiaView community colleges in VirginiaView online programs in VirginiaRead planning guides before you compare

Frequently asked questions

Questions families ask about colleges in Virginia

Which is the public flagship university in Virginia?
The University of Virginia (UVA) in Charlottesville is generally considered Virginia’s primary public flagship, with Virginia Tech (Blacksburg) and William & Mary (Williamsburg) as the other major public research universities. Virginia is unusual in having multiple competitive public universities rather than one dominant flagship.
How does Virginia’s Guaranteed Admission Agreement work?
Students who complete an associate degree at a Virginia community college and meet GPA and program requirements under the Virginia Community College System’s Guaranteed Admission Agreement (GAA) are guaranteed admission to most Virginia public four-year universities. GPA thresholds and program-specific requirements vary by destination institution, verify directly with both your community college and the four-year school.
How many HBCUs are in Virginia?
Virginia hosts five historically Black colleges and universities: Hampton University (private), Norfolk State University (public), Virginia State University (public), Virginia Union University (private), and Virginia University of Lynchburg (private).
What are the most affordable colleges in Virginia for in-state students?
Virginia community colleges are the lowest-cost on-campus path. After that, regional public universities like Radford, Old Dominion, and Virginia Commonwealth typically post lower in-state tuition than UVA, Virginia Tech, and William & Mary. Always compare net price after aid rather than sticker price.
Can students near DC compare Virginia, Maryland, and DC schools on CampusPin?
Yes. The DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) region is one of the most actively cross-shopped college markets in the country. Pin schools across all three jurisdictions, then open /compare to see them side by side on tuition, acceptance rate, enrollment, and programs.
How many Virginia colleges are flagged for lower earnings on the FAFSA?
20 schools in the Department of Education's March 2026 release, the list the 2027-28 FAFSA uses, out of 121 Virginia schools with an earnings figure. The December 2025 release flagged 27: 11 came off and 4 were added. Every one is named in the Virginia section of CampusPin's FAFSA lower earnings list. The notice is informational and does not affect financial aid, and it describes a whole school, not a program.
How many Virginia colleges cost more than a family can borrow from the federal government?
For families earning under $30,000, 4 of the 62 Virginia colleges reporting the complete federal net-price series charge more after grants than the $25,500 a first-year dependent student and their parents can borrow federally from 1 July 2026; the median college there charges $13,183. For families earning $48,001–$75,000 it is 7 (median $17,331). Net prices are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any family, and Parent PLUS requires no adverse credit history.

Related blog clusters

Guides that pair well with a Virginia search

Cost and Financial Aid

College affordability, net price, aid interpretation, borrowing decisions, and budgeting guidance for students and families using CampusPin to compare higher-ed options with more discipline.

Community College

Community-college strategy, affordability, transfer readiness, and credential pathway content for students exploring two-year options through CampusPin.

College Search Strategy

Filter-first search strategy, shortlist building, and planning content for students and parents using CampusPin to discover best-fit colleges and universities.

Help Center

Workflow guides for students searching in Virginia

Getting Started With CampusPin

A fast orientation to the CampusPin workflow, from your first search through profile review, pins, and next-step planning.

How to Use Filters to Narrow Your College List

A practical help article on how to use CampusPin filters without over-filtering or locking yourself into the wrong criteria too early.

How to Read a CampusPin School Profile

A guide to the major sections inside a CampusPin institution profile and how to interpret them effectively. Each page connects to clearer next steps, related guides, and the CampusPin tools that help you decide.

CampusPin research

National analyses with Virginia in the data

Each report is built from a checksum-verified snapshot, with full methodology and a downloadable CSV that includes Virginia.

Comparing schools on price? See our national analysis of how college cost relates to graduation and earnings, an association driven by selectivity and sector, not evidence that a pricier college pays off.

Explore Virginia

More ways to explore Virginia colleges

By city

Colleges in Virginia cities

CampusPin publishes a directory for 4 cities in Virginia, every one where federal data reports at least five colleges.

Browse colleges by city nationwide

What this count of 102 includes

Other sites publish very different totals for Virginia, and most do not say what they are counting. Here is exactly what this one counts, so you can check it against anyone else's.

By level
67 listed as universities and 35 as community colleges. CampusPin records this as an institution type, and uses it as an approximation of four-year versus two-year; it is not a separately reported degree-level field.
By control
40 public and 62 private. CampusPin records control as public or private only, so private nonprofit and private for-profit institutions are not separated here.
  • Every institution counted has its own CampusPin profile listing the figures behind it and where each one came from, so the total can be checked against its parts rather than taken on trust.
  • This is CampusPin's directory of 3,798 institutions nationwide, not the full federal universe. NCES counted 5,829 Title IV institutions, administrative offices, and U.S. service academies nationwide for 2024-25. That figure includes entities a student would never apply to, which is one reason published totals differ so widely.
  • Figures come from federal sources on a reporting lag, so a very new or very recently closed institution may not be reflected yet. Found something wrong? Tell us and we will correct it.
Full data methodologyCoverage and data quality

Data sources & methodology

College listings for Virginia are compiled from federal datasets and each institution's own published information.

Sources used across this page

Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.

  • IPEDS / NCES College Navigator

    Federal enrollment, admissions, tuition, retention, and program data. Released annually with a 1–2 year lag.

  • U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

    Net price by income band, post-graduation earnings, and federal aid context.

  • Institutional websites

    Each school's official admissions, registrar, and financial-aid pages are the authoritative source for current details.

Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.

Methodology Data dictionary Report a correction

Suggested citation

CampusPin. Colleges in Virginia. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/colleges-by-state/virginia