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Urban Colleges in Virginia

40 schools in Virginia. See our methodology.

Virginia's urban colleges present a tale of extremes, with graduation rates spanning from 30.1% at some institutions to perfect 100% completion rates at specialized schools like University of Management and Technology in Arlington. The state's 40 urban institutions serve over 90,000 students with net prices ranging from $5,525 at community colleges to $33,417 at selective private universities. This educational market directly supports Virginia's federal contracting economy, where companies like Northrop Grumman and Booz Allen Hamilton actively recruit from engineering programs at Virginia Tech ($23,790 net price, 86.3% graduation rate) and business programs throughout the region. The VTAG grant program helps make private college education more accessible, while community colleges like Virginia Western in Roanoke offer affordable pathways at under $6,000 annually. Urban settings provide internship pipelines to major employers like Inova Health, with graduates earning anywhere from $25,930 to $81,698 depending on their field and institution. Virginia Commonwealth University exemplifies this diversity, graduating over 20,000 students annually with a 65.4% completion rate and median earnings of $58,128.
40
Schools
$20,851
Avg. Net Price
$49,321
Avg. Earnings
56.1%
Avg. Graduation Rate

Urban Colleges in Virginia

College listings
# School Setting Enrollment Net Price Graduation Rate
1 City-Midsize 322 100.0%
2 City-Small 212 $24,868 100.0%
3 City-Small 30,435 $23,790 86.3%
4 City-Midsize 25 $22,341 100.0%
5 City-Small 20,497 $21,816 80.9%
6 City-Midsize 3,002 $33,417 87.8%
7 City-Midsize 4,402 $22,197 75.1%
8 City-Large 377 $18,497 73.0%
9 City-Large 4,282 $18,749 54.1%
10 City-Midsize 325 $25,596 62.5%
11 City-Midsize 20,797 $19,452 65.4%
12 City-Large 225 $26,254 66.7%
13 City-Small 3,777 $5,618 40.6%
14 City-Small 2,144 $5,525 41.3%
15 City-Midsize 193 $26,719 62.9%
16 City-Small 2,127 $30,055 70.5%
17 City-Small 1,188 $17,833 55.7%
18 City-Midsize 11,797 $7,991 30.1%
19 City-Midsize 1,795 $25,153 57.9%
20 City-Large 8 $27,538 50.0%
21 City-Midsize 17,521 $14,170 44.4%
22 City-Small 50,059 $29,552 63.5%
23 City-Midsize 431 $29,556 32.6%
24 City-Small 1,599 $20,187 61.6%
25 City-Large 11,270 $20,473 44.7%
26 City-Small 170 $18,184 26.1%
27 City-Midsize 1,153 $19,580 41.3%
28 City-Small 520 $18,436 51.5%
29 City-Large 1,327 $12,134 28.1%
30 City-Midsize 5,495 $12,973 32.7%
31 City-Midsize 302 54.5%
32 City-Midsize 2,010 13.3%
33 City-Large 1,243 $20,583 49.1%
34 City-Large 252 $24,372 13.6%
35 City-Small 800 $23,615 47.1%
36 City-Large 239
37 City-Midsize
38 City-Midsize
39 City-Small
40 City-Large 2

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Virginia's urban college costs so variable?

Net prices range dramatically from $5,525 at community colleges to $33,417 at private institutions like University of Richmond. The VTAG grant program helps bridge this gap for Virginia residents attending private colleges, while community colleges maintain affordability with programs averaging under $6,000 annually across urban areas like Roanoke and Lynchburg.

How do graduation rates differ between institution types?

Specialized colleges achieve perfect 100% graduation rates, including University of Management and Technology with 322 students and Centra College serving 212 students. Large public universities maintain solid rates like Virginia Tech at 86.3% and James Madison at 80.9%, while community colleges typically graduate 40-42% of students within their programs.

Where do graduates find the highest earning potential?

Virginia Tech graduates lead with median earnings of $81,698, followed by University of Richmond at $76,178 and James Madison at $69,954. These figures reflect strong connections to Virginia's defense contracting sector and federal employment opportunities concentrated in urban areas like Arlington and Richmond, where major contractors actively recruit.

Is admission competitive at Virginia's urban colleges?

Acceptance rates vary from highly selective 24.4% at University of Richmond to open enrollment at community colleges accepting 100% of applicants. Mid-tier options include Virginia Tech at 57% acceptance and Christopher Newport University at 85%, providing accessible pathways to quality education across different academic preparation levels.

What role do community colleges play in urban Virginia?

Virginia's urban community colleges serve over 6,000 students with net costs under $5,700, making higher education accessible regardless of economic background. Central Virginia Community College in Lynchburg and Virginia Western in Roanoke provide affordable transfer pathways and workforce training programs connecting directly to regional employers and industries.

How do urban locations benefit college students?

Urban campuses in cities like Richmond, Norfolk, and Arlington provide direct access to internships with major employers like Inova Health, Northrop Grumman, and federal agencies. Virginia Commonwealth University's 20,797 students particularly benefit from Richmond's business sector, while Northern Virginia schools connect students to the nation's highest concentration of defense contractors.

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See our methodology for details on rankings and data sources.