Best Online Colleges in Virginia of 2025

University Headquarters (HQ) is an industry-leading, independent educational organization that provides independent college rankings using a proprietary formula to create first class, unbiased rankings. The team at University HQ strives to provide accurate and trustworthy rankings that highlight the best programs in Virginia.

Featured Online Programs

Virginia’s labor force felt the impact of months of recession during and just after the pandemic. Beginning in October of 2021, the revised employment number in the state was 4,261.4 million people. The revised unemployment rate started at 3.4% in October and has, more recently, dropped to 3.0%.

Those who are looking to begin or expand on their education might find that this is the perfect time to do so. As the economy picks back up and the unemployment rate drops, companies will be looking for qualified candidates in a shrinking pool of workers. This can give you the bargaining power to find a better position with a solid educational foundation.

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Online Higher Education in Virginia

In Virginia, students are able to choose between going to school on-campus and taking online courses. This is especially true as online learning options continue to expand across the country. If they choose the distance learning option, they should have good time management skills and be able to commit to studying and logging into their classes regularly in order to succeed.

Almost 286,000 students enrolled completely in online programs in this state in a recent year. For undergraduate programs, 352,194 students were online learners while 94,289 graduate students enrolled in at least one graduate course online.

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How much tuition will I pay?
In-state tuition averaged $8,538 for students in a recent year, while out-of-state students pay tuition costs closer to $19,460. Virginia has 175 colleges and universities, with 126 being private institutions. While private colleges have a reputation for higher tuition, this may not always be the case, and they may also have better financial aid options to help ease the cost. Generally, public colleges and universities have lower tuition rates.
What will I pay, besides tuition?
Students pay for more than just their tuition. Other charges are rolled into the full cost of attendance when you apply to a school. This includes tuition, fees, room & board, and books, supplies, and more into a total for the year. In-state graduate students pay an average of $30,673 for their total costs and out-of-state students pay around $43,864.

Our School Rankings Methodology

Parents want a quality education for their children, and students and their families want to make sure that they aren’t overpaying for their education. School rankings can help them compare retention and admission rates, as well as a variety of other information, for various colleges, giving families all the information they need to make a good decision. Our rankings also include information such as the graduation and graduate salary rates, accreditation, and more. We collect data from Department of Education websites, such as College Scorecard or the National Center for Education Statistics, as well as the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other useful sites with credible information.

Students planning to begin their college education by earning an undergraduate degree, or if they want to continue their education with a graduate degree, will be well-served by beginning their school search by reviewing these rankings and then applying their own requirements onto the best options out there. Those looking for online degrees specifically will find all the best options in the state gathered here.