Highest 20-Year ROI Colleges in Virginia
The biggest 20-year net financial gain over a high-school-only earner — tuition and debt already subtracted. Our tax-verified answer to the 20-year ROI question, from IRS-linked federal earnings rather than self-reported surveys.
Showing Virginia
Clear state| # | College | Type | 20-yr net gain | 5-yr earnings | Net price | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | DR Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA | Private | $1,132,550 | $106,739 | $23,781 | $19,500 | +504% | Strong return | |
| 2 | Chamberlain University-Virginia Vienna, VA | For-profit | $814,941 | $92,768 | $33,199 | $20,919 | +240% | Strong return | |
| 3 | Virginia Military Institute Lexington, VA | Public | $603,668 | $79,025 | $17,113 | $22,996 | +343% | Strong return | |
| 4 | University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA | Public | $569,463 | $78,105 | $21,565 | $17,500 | +257% | Strong return | |
| 5 | Hampden-Sydney College Hampden-Sydney, VA | Private | $555,385 | $77,723 | $22,400 | $26,000 | +230% | Strong return | |
| 6 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA | Public | $517,974 | $74,837 | $17,915 | $19,500 | +279% | Strong return | |
| 7 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA | Public | $474,913 | $74,128 | $24,953 | $21,500 | +171% | Strong return | |
| 8 | Standard Healthcare Services-College of Nursing Falls Church, VA | For-profit | $449,753 | $71,329 | $35,726 | $14,750 | +243% | Strong return | |
| 9 | University of Richmond University of Richmond, VA | Private | $405,391 | $71,914 | $31,309 | $21,000 | +103% | Strong return | |
| 10 | William & Mary Williamsburg, VA | Public | $375,694 | $67,941 | $19,096 | $18,500 | +176% | Strong return | |
| 11 | Marymount University Arlington, VA | Private | $372,302 | $69,898 | $29,137 | $25,000 | +98% | Strong return | |
| 12 | James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA | Public | $348,890 | $67,475 | $23,322 | $20,093 | +123% | Strong return | |
| 13 | Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA | Public | $322,622 | $64,496 | $14,638 | $24,000 | +190% | Strong return | |
| 14 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA | Public | $264,953 | $63,326 | $23,433 | $21,500 | +80% | Strong return | |
| 15 | Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg, VA | Private | $252,646 | $63,002 | $24,588 | $24,813 | +68% | Strong return | |
| 16 | Shenandoah University Winchester, VA | Private | $241,118 | $63,571 | $30,298 | $25,000 | +43% | Break-even | |
| 17 | Roanoke College Salem, VA | Private | $232,329 | $62,009 | $24,503 | $27,000 | +58% | Break-even | |
| 18 | Strayer University-Virginia Arlington, VA | For-profit | $224,045 | $60,858 | $19,578 | $40,621 | +70% | Strong return | |
| 19 | Hampton University Hampton, VA | Private | $220,213 | $61,538 | $25,319 | $25,442 | +50% | Break-even | |
| 20 | Norfolk State University Norfolk, VA | Public | $216,564 | $59,413 | $15,282 | $29,000 | +101% | Strong return | |
| 21 | Virginia Highlands Community College Abingdon, VA | Public | $207,030 | $55,889 | $5,375 | — | +913% | Strong return | |
| 22 | Randolph-Macon College Ashland, VA | Private | $205,557 | $61,343 | $27,866 | $27,000 | +35% | Break-even | |
| 23 | Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA | Public | $205,390 | $60,328 | $23,015 | $25,000 | +52% | Break-even | |
| 24 | Northern Virginia Community College Annandale, VA | Public | $184,734 | $55,429 | $9,919 | $11,000 | +337% | Strong return | |
| 25 | Germanna Community College Locust Grove, VA | Public | $179,397 | $54,677 | $5,541 | $8,400 | +584% | Strong return | |
| 26 | ECPI University Virginia Beach, VA | For-profit | $177,772 | $58,846 | $22,965 | $20,000 | +40% | Break-even | |
| 27 | Averett University Danville, VA | Private | $149,190 | $57,500 | $22,925 | $25,000 | +24% | Break-even | |
| 28 | University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA | Public | $146,762 | $56,845 | $20,667 | $20,500 | +31% | Break-even | |
| 29 | Regent University Virginia Beach, VA | Private | $133,908 | $56,127 | $19,923 | $24,534 | +26% | Break-even | |
| 30 | Radford University Radford, VA | Public | $120,882 | $54,397 | $14,578 | $24,000 | +40% | Break-even | |
| 31 | Piedmont Virginia Community College Charlottesville, VA | Public | $105,405 | $51,026 | $5,963 | $8,750 | +299% | Strong return | |
| 32 | Laurel Ridge Community College Middletown, VA | Public | $95,781 | $50,568 | $6,013 | $9,750 | +257% | Strong return | |
| 33 | University of Lynchburg Lynchburg, VA | Private | $74,781 | $53,678 | $22,235 | $27,000 | -12% | Poor return | |
| 34 | Longwood University Farmville, VA | Public | $67,946 | $52,666 | $19,066 | $25,000 | -10% | Poor return | |
| 35 | Virginia State University Petersburg, VA | Public | $35,823 | $50,442 | $15,840 | $26,500 | -26% | Poor return | |
| 36 | Danville Community College Danville, VA | Public | $14,282 | $46,545 | $6,669 | $9,000 | -7% | Poor return | |
| 37 | Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Beach, VA | Private | $11,217 | $49,988 | $19,676 | $27,000 | -44% | Poor return | |
| 38 | Bridgewater College Bridgewater, VA | Private | $-13,715 | $48,348 | $17,800 | $26,000 | -59% | Poor return | |
| 39 | Blue Ridge Community College Weyers Cave, VA | Public | $-23,387 | $45,420 | $13,997 | $10,409 | -87% | Poor return | |
| 40 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA | Private | $-26,596 | $49,988 | $29,357 | $24,500 | -61% | Poor return | |
| 41 | Brightpoint Community College Chester, VA | Public | $-47,722 | $43,336 | $5,490 | $9,500 | -215% | Poor return | |
| 42 | Tidewater Community College Norfolk, VA | Public | $-48,268 | $43,945 | $11,762 | $10,000 | -139% | Poor return | |
| 43 | Emory & Henry University Emory, VA | Private | $-48,980 | $46,843 | $19,061 | $26,332 | -79% | Poor return | |
| 44 | Bluefield University Bluefield, VA | Private | $-51,116 | $47,957 | $25,573 | $21,855 | -73% | Poor return | |
| 45 | University of Virginia's College at Wise Wise, VA | Public | $-55,464 | $44,374 | $9,210 | $16,750 | -115% | Poor return | |
| 46 | Richard Bland College South Prince George, VA | Public | $-62,898 | $43,360 | $13,045 | $11,000 | -155% | Poor return | |
| 47 | Virginia Western Community College Roanoke, VA | Public | $-63,480 | $42,523 | $4,966 | $11,000 | -278% | Poor return | |
| 48 | J Sargeant Reynolds Community College Richmond, VA | Public | $-65,722 | $42,422 | $5,168 | $10,500 | -282% | Poor return | |
| 49 | Ferrum College Ferrum, VA | Private | $-66,387 | $46,189 | $20,082 | $27,000 | -87% | Poor return | |
| 50 | Mountain Empire Community College Big Stone Gap, VA | Public | $-80,324 | $41,869 | $8,852 | — | -277% | Poor return | |
| 51 | Wytheville Community College Wytheville, VA | Public | $-86,577 | $41,270 | $4,622 | $7,500 | -411% | Poor return | |
| 52 | Virginia Peninsula Community College Hampton, VA | Public | $-100,466 | $40,851 | $7,012 | $9,500 | -337% | Poor return | |
| 53 | Southwest Virginia Community College Cedar Bluff, VA | Public | $-100,730 | $40,564 | $6,005 | — | -469% | Poor return | |
| 54 | Central Virginia Community College Lynchburg, VA | Public | $-103,899 | $40,655 | $6,928 | $8,625 | -356% | Poor return | |
| 55 | Virginia Union University Richmond, VA | Private | $-104,388 | $42,956 | $13,235 | $29,000 | -132% | Poor return | |
| 56 | Patrick & Henry Community College Martinsville, VA | Public | $-104,444 | $40,188 | $4,102 | — | -687% | Poor return | |
| 57 | Mary Baldwin University Staunton, VA | Private | $-111,112 | $42,480 | $12,756 | $26,586 | -142% | Poor return | |
| 58 | Paul D Camp Community College Franklin, VA | Public | $-116,959 | $39,690 | $4,126 | $6,880 | -594% | Poor return | |
| 59 | Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach Virginia Beach, VA | Private | $-137,225 | $40,939 | $12,038 | $21,549 | -173% | Poor return | |
| 60 | New River Community College Dublin, VA | Public | $-152,618 | $38,161 | $6,279 | $9,000 | -532% | Poor return | |
| 61 | Southside Virginia Community College Alberta, VA | Public | $-168,376 | $37,115 | $5,338 | — | -839% | Poor return | |
| 62 | Rappahannock Community College Glenns, VA | Public | $-173,646 | $36,752 | $4,343 | — | -1,050% | Poor return | |
| 63 | Southern Virginia University Buena Vista, VA | Private | $-184,879 | $40,640 | $22,213 | $24,224 | -145% | Poor return | |
| 64 | Hollins University Roanoke, VA | Private | $-285,263 | $35,408 | $20,896 | $27,000 | -203% | Poor return | |
| 65 | American National University Salem, VA | For-profit | $-334,954 | $32,093 | $18,036 | $12,814 | -268% | Poor return | |
| 66 | Fortis College-Richmond Richmond, VA | For-profit | $-413,972 | $26,938 | $24,635 | $9,500 | -443% | Poor return |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
Top-Rated Colleges (DR Rating)Best ROI Colleges in the U.S.Best Value CollegesBest Colleges for Economic MobilityHighest-Earning CollegesLowest-Debt CollegesLowest Net-Price CollegesBest-Rated Majors (DR Rating)Highest-Paying MajorsBest ROI MajorsLowest-Debt MajorsFastest-Growing Majors by Job OutlookMajors With the Most Job Openings