16 Best Online Colleges in VA (Virginia)

The state of Virginia ranks among the top 10 states with the highest online enrollment rate in the United States.

Learners can register as distant learners for various programs in college in the state of Virginia. You can enroll in programs for both bachelor’s degree and master’s degrees, these degrees help you perfect several skills you would need to stand out as a professional in the workplace.

Thanks to online education, students can now balance their work life and their education without either of them being a hassle. It does not matter if you are an in-state or out-of-state student, there a various degree programs you can enroll in at various online colleges in Virginia.

In this article, I will talk about the best online colleges in Virginia, continue reading so you can find which college is best for you.

How Much is Online College in Virginia?

There is information available about the cost of online public colleges in Virginia, but the average cost of a credit in an online private college in Virginia is $393.17.

In the past year, the average tuition and fees for colleges in Virginia is $8,678 for in-state students and $19,301 for out-of-state students.

Some of the best online colleges in Virginia provide global access to quality education. However, foreign students always pay more than citizens.

Prospective students must bear in mind that several courses at colleges with conventional campuses always charge outside-state tuition fees, while 100% of online colleges can charge flat-rate fees for all students.

Non-resident students can still be eligible for a discount on tuition through regional exchange arrangements with Virginia. Students can also apply for a residence permit to qualify for in-state tuition.

The tuition fees at online colleges in Virginia surpass the national average for all students attending public and private four-year colleges. The tuition fees for two-year programs are also higher than the national average.

Collegiate programs differ by learning style. For example, learners attending on-site classes pay for housing, parking, meal plans, and lab costs. Online students on the other hand pay for technical costs for their online degrees or courses.

What is the Cheapest Online College in Virginia?

The cheapest online college in Virginia is Norfolk State University and it costs $9,490 per year for in-state students. This school is a public school with a strong online presence. They also offer tens of degrees in the arts and science field accessible almost anywhere in the US.

These remarkable qualities have earned this school awards, not only as one of the top online ranking universities in Virginia but it has also earned a spot in the US News. For more information about this school, see Norfolk State University.

What College in Virginia Has the Highest Acceptance Rate?

Liberty College has an acceptance rate of 99% making it the college with the highest acceptance rate in Virginia. This school is about building your faith as you study. The school revolves around Christianity, grooming Christ-centered men and women with the values, knowledge, and skills to influence their world.

This college offers over 350 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Some of these programs range from aeronautics to zoology, generous scholarships and exciting opportunities to serve, worship, and have fun while doing so.

Since this institution believes education should be affordable and accessible to everyone, it has waived the test-score admission requirement.

The school has the materials and opportunities of a large state university and the heart and soul of an intimate Christ-centered college. For more information about this school, see Liberty University.

See also: All 3 Tuition-Free Online Universities for International Students.

16 Best Online Colleges in Virginia

• University of Virginia
• George Mason University
• James Madison University
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• William and Mary School of Education
• Averett University
• Shenandoah University
• Mary Baldwin University
• Old Dominion University
• Virginia Commonwealth University
• Liberty University
• Radford University
• Strayer University
• Hampton University
• Regent University Online
• ECPI University Online

University of Virginia

Location: Charlottesville.

Tuition Fee: $10,484.

This is one of the best online colleges in Virginia and it is a public institution, prospective students can pick from several online degrees in the bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate stages.

Some of the most enrolled courses at the online master’s degree level in this school include business analytics, education in administration and supervision, as well as data science.

Future students can anticipate online master’s programs to be 30-33 credit hours, and it is for 1-2 years, with a full class calendar. The acceptance rate at this school is 21% with a 94% graduation rate. This school is definitely one of the best online colleges in Virginia that you should look up while still considering which college to attend.

The University of Virginia runs asynchronous and synchronous online education on the learning management system. The school’s student-to-faculty ratio is 15:1. Distance learners in this school can be eligible for financial aid, such as employer-based tuition aid, grants, scholarships, and veterans’ privileges.

This school’s online student materials include counseling, mental health aid, and career services. While getting an online degree in this school, learners have access to certificate courses, non-credit programs, open educational tools, and tuition courses. For more information about this University, see The University of Virginia.

George Mason University

Location: Fairfax.

Tuition Fee: $10,952.

This school is a public research institution located in Fairfax, VA. It is one of the most reputable online community colleges in Virginia. Prospective learners can enroll for online courses at this school which are fully online.

They can attend it in a hybrid format that includes face-to-face classes on campus. Courses are taken in synchronous or asynchronous formats.

Generally, there are more than 50 online degree programs that are entirely or partly remote, which fall under certain fields of study such as business management, social science, math, and engineering.

To make it clear, there are some 100% online programs, including a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and a Master of Arts in Economics.

Different advanced options meet nursing requirements, such as the Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner, or the Nursing RN to BSN and Co-enrollment Programs.

This school uses a platform called Blackboard and it is the main learning management system for distance learners at George Mason University.

The school also provides internship placements during any given program, enabling online students to gain practical experience while they study. Tutoring and counseling services are also provided.

For more information about this institution, see George Mason University.

James Madison University

Location: Harrisonburg.

Tuition Fee: $12,564.

This is another one of the best online colleges in Virginia and it is a public university that provides both bachelor’s degree and master’s degree programs online. Some of the online bachelor’s degrees at this school include comprehensive early childhood education, elementary education, and lots more.

Each online bachelor’s degree in this school requires 120 credit hours, which implies that it takes full-time students four years to complete their major. James Madison’s University acceptance rate is 84% which means you stand a good chance of gaining admission to this school if you do apply.

In this school, distance learners complete courses that are delivered asynchronously and synchronously through Canvas, a learning management system. Online students can try applying for student loans or financial aid, that way they would know if they are eligible for loans, grants, and scholarships.

The school’s online student learning materials include tutoring, a writing center, peer-assisted study groups and sessions, veterans benefits, counseling, and career and academic planning.

They also provide an Adult Degree Program, which is an online undergraduate degree completion program that enables adult learners to develop a personalized interdisciplinary focus or study area to meet their educational and career needs. For more information about this school, see JMU Online and Distance Learning.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Location: Blacksburg.

Tuition Fee: $18,398.

This institution is one of the best online colleges in Virginia and it is a public institution that also delivers online master’s degree courses. Some of the master’s degree programs offered online at Virginia Tech include information technology, mechanical engineering, as well as public administration to name a few of them.

The school’s online master’s degree courses can be 30 credit hours or even more, so full-time students can take the program for two years or more to complete them. VirginiaTech’s acceptance rate is 56%, so put in your best effort in your application if you want to get a chance to study at this college.

Online students at this school can complete coursework asynchronously and synchronously on Canvas. As online graduate students ensure you apply for financial aid, such as loans, scholarships, and fellowships, there is a possibility that you can have access to them as an online student.

This school offers online students with study tools like an online library, academic advising, disability services, and lots more. The school is an advocate of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), which guarantees that all distance education programs help learners accomplish their academic goals.

For more information about this school, see VT Online.

William and Mary School of Education

Location: Williamsburg.

Tuition Fee: $17,422.

William and Mary School of Education makes our list of best online colleges in Virginia. It is a public university, future students can go ahead and apply for any online master’s degree program they would love to take. Some of the most applied master’s degree courses in this school include business administration, business analytics, and counseling.

These online courses can be 32-49 credit hours, lasting 15 months up to two years to round up. The school’s acceptance rate is 37%.

As online students, you can take coursework in asynchronous and synchronous formats on Blackboard. Online students are eligible for financial aid, scholarships, loans, tuition reimbursement, and veterans services.

The school provides online students with study materials like an online library, a writing resources center, academic counseling, a bookstore, counseling, tutoring, financial support, and IT support. For prospective MBA students, the school has one of the best online MBA programs which is fully online.

For more information about this school, see William and Mary School of Education.

Averett University

Location: Danville.

Tuition Fee: $10,800.

Averett University is one of the top online colleges in Virginia and it is a private, nonprofit, Baptist university with several online degrees both in the bachelor’s and master’s degree stages. Some of the online bachelor’s degrees available at this school are business administration, criminal justice, and sociology.

On average, future students should expect to earn 120 credit hours while completing a bachelor’s degree program, and this can take four years. The school’s acceptance rate is 48%, which means there is some competition you need to beat to gain admission into this college.

The school delivers asynchronous online learning on Canvas. Online students at this school should try applying for military financial aid benefits or grants as this college is military-friendly.

Online student support at this college includes tutoring, an online library, career improvement, IT support, and a bookstore. With the flexible online study mode, even if your schedule is very tight, you can still complete your degrees while handling career and family obligations.

For more information about this school, see Averett University.

Shenandoah University

Location: Winchester.

Tuition Fee: $31,920.

Shenandoah University is one of the few church-sponsored online colleges in VA. The school is a private nonprofit college and it is connected to the United Methodist Church that delivers online degree programs for bachelor’s degree students as well as master’s degree students.

Some of the popular online master’s degree programs at Shenandoah University include business administration, nurse midwifery, and lots more.

Shenandoah University’s online master’s programs can run from 23-48 credit hours, so full-time learners will spend two or more years to complete their programs. The school’s acceptance rate is 74% and it is one of the best Christian online colleges in Virginia.

Shenandoah University provides online students with services such as a bookstore, academic counseling, career services, a writing center, and financial support.

If you are an online student who wishes to further your nursing career, the school provides several nursing programs across various degree stages and specializations. For more information about this institution, see Shenandoah University.

Mary Baldwin University

Location: Staunton.

Tuition Fee: $30,240.

Mary Baldwin University is one of the best private online colleges in Virginia, it is a nonprofit school that is connected with the Presbyterian Church that provides online bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate programs. Some of the most popular online bachelor’s programs at this college include business, healthcare administration, and nursing.

Mary Baldwin’s undergraduate courses are 120 credit hours, so full-time students will complete this program in four years. The school’s acceptance rate is 100% so you definitely have a very good chance of getting not this school.

Possible financial support opportunities for online students include zero or low-interest payment plans, grants, employer tuition assistance, and military privileges.

This school provides online students with certain learning materials like an online library, accessibility services, academic resources, counseling, and IT support.

Mary Baldwin University provides seven-week courses that offer students the flexibility to enable them to achieve their academic goals. For more information about this school, see Mary Baldwin University in Staunton.

Old Dominion University

Location: Norfolk.

Tuition Fee: $9,480.

Old Dominion University is one of the top online colleges in Virginia and the school is a public research institution. The school has over 120 online degree programs. Degrees can be located from the certificate stage up to the doctorate level, with various certificate, endorsement, and minor choices available.

For prospective students who wish to enroll in an undergraduate program, Old Dominion University provides a bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees in courses like fashion merchandise, political science, and geography to name just a few.

While at the master’s degree level, you have advanced courses like engineering as well as the Science of Nursing, there is also Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Old Dominion University is one of the best online colleges in Virginia.

Online students can access their coursework through Canvas, which is the school’s online learning management system. Besides this platform, learners can make use of other supporting platforms like LinkedIn Learning, Microsoft Office 365, and others to access their coursework. For more information about this school, see Old Dominion University.

It is not surprising really that students pick this university for their education. This is because prospective students with an associate degree or transfer credits can choose from 50 different programs.

Virginia Commonwealth University

Location: Richmond.

Tuition Fee: $12,772.

The school is a public university that provides online bachelor’s degree programs. They also provide master’s and doctorate programs. Some of the examples of these bachelor’s degree programs provided online include accounting, marketing, and RN to BSN.

The school’s acceptance rate is 93%, therefore you have a good chance of getting into this school which is one of the best online colleges in Virginia. The online bachelor’s degree programs are generally 60-120 credit hours, which means they will take you 2-4 years to complete.

As students of this school, you can complete courses available in asynchronous and synchronous formats on Canvas. Financial support for distance learners at Virginia Commonwealth University includes scholarships, grants, and loans.

This school delivers online programs that are recognized nationally, they provide a wide variety of online courses to choose from. Online learners at this college have access to online libraries, counseling, financial support, disability services, military student services, career services, and IT support.

For more information about this school which is one of the best online colleges in Virginia, see VCU Online.

Liberty University

Location: Lynchburg.

Tuition Fee: $22,511.

This school is a private, Christian institution and it is one of the online colleges in VA. It has its main campus in Lynchburg, VA.

This school believes in educating students on how to behave in line with the Christian doctrine. It delivers more than 600 online courses, including dual enrollment classes for high school learners as well as doctoral degrees, and more.

Prospective students who would love to pursue a bachelor’s degree can enroll in courses like criminal justice, business administration, and psychology, to name just a few. Liberty University is one of the most underrated online colleges in Virginia.

For master’s students, you can choose from about 100 degree programs, some of the most popular programs are a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, a Master of Public Health, and a Master in Education.

The classes usually run for eight weeks and students can access them through the Canvas learning management system. Students can log in whenever they choose, this enables students to complete classwork when it is convenient for them to do so.

This school provides students with various academic support services such as online libraries, IT support, a writing center, tutoring, and healthcare services.

Radford University

Location: Radford.

Tuition Fee: $6,911.

This school has online programs available for students who wish to enroll in either a bachelor’s degree program, master’s degree program, or even a doctorate program. Radford University is a public institution and it is one of the best public online colleges in Virginia in terms of value for money.

An online bachelor’s degree at Radford University has 120 credit hours and lasts for four years. Radford University’s acceptance rate is 95%, so you stand a very good chance of getting into this school.

Prospective students can access their coursework in asynchronous formats on D2L Brightspace. Online students must ensure they apply for financial aid opportunities like loans, grants, and scholarships to know if they qualify for these aids as students of Radford University.

Radford University provides distance learners with certain support services including counseling, disability services, financial support, career and talent development, IT support, a writing center, and an online library. Radford University makes our list of online colleges in Virginia.

This school has over 30 online degree courses and extensive opportunities for students seeking to improve their nursing careers. For more information about this school, see Radford University.

Strayer University

Location: Nationwide.

Tuition Fee: $13,515.

This school is also one of the best online colleges in Virginia and it is a private, for-profit university that provides several online degree programs at all academic levels. Some of the popular bachelor’s degree programs online include online accounting, business administration, and criminal justice.

Students who would love to enroll for a bachelor’s degree as full-time students must complete the 90-180 credit hours requirements and by doing so, they can complete the program within 2-4 years. Strayer University’s acceptance rate is 100%, statistically, you will surely gain admission if you apply to this university.

The school uses Blackboard as its learning management system therefore, online students can access their coursework through this platform. The classes are delivered asynchronously and synchronously. Online students are also eligible for financial support like scholarships and student loans.

Strayer University offers distance learners several learning materials like 24/7 virtual support, tutoring, guidance, an online library, financial support assistance, a bookstore, tech support, and a writing center.

The school’s online programs provide a convenient course load, a career-designed curriculum, and extraordinary teaching techniques to ensure distance learners excel. For more information about this school, see Strayer University.

Hampton University

Location: Hampton.

Tuition Fee: $23,112.

This private university is one of the best nonprofit online colleges in VA, and a historically black college that delivers online degree programs at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate levels.

For prospective online students who would wish to earn a bachelor’s degree in this school, you must complete 120 credit hours, which will run for at least four years. Hampton University’s acceptance rate is 80%, which means you have a very good chance of getting admission into this school.

This school is one of the online colleges in Virginia and students can access their coursework either asynchronously or synchronously on Blackboard; the online learning platform used by the school.

Although this school is not the most affordable online school in Virginia, students would definitely be taught well and they would even get more than their money’s worth from this school. This makes this institution one of the best online colleges in Virginia.

As online learners, you have access to an online library, career counseling services, advising, financial support, IT help, and disability services.

One amazing feature of this school is that online students can complete their online degrees when it is convenient for them with no pressure from strict deadlines. They would also have the opportunity to build on their education with certifications.

For more information about this University, see Hampton U Online.

Regent University Online

Location: Virginia Beach.

Tuition Fee: $16,478.

This school is a private, Christian university in Virginia Beach, VA. The school has over 150 online degree programs you can choose from. Some examples include cyber security, healthcare, government, and ministry.

This school has a solid foundation in Christianity therefore most of its degree programs revolve around Christian studies.

Some of this school’s popular courses include a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies (Journalism) as well as a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering. Associate, bachelor’s, master’s, certificates, and doctoral programs are available in different fields of study.

Online students can access their coursework through Canvas which is the school’s learning management system and it is for a duration of eight weeks course sections.

Students who are accepted into an online program at Regent University will enjoy certain services like academic advisors, career mentors, online writing labs, IT aid and help desk, online chapel services, and military aid advisors.

For more information about this university, see Regent University Online.

ECPI University Online

Location: Newport News, Manassas, Richmond, Virginia Beach.

Tuition Fee: $18,484.

This school is one of the reputable online colleges in Virginia and it is a private university that offers online associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs. The university has online bachelor’s programs such as mechanical engineering technology, cybersecurity, and healthcare services.

The school’s bachelor’s degree programs are usually between 70-124 credit hours and these programs can be completed in 2-5 years for full-time students. ECPI University’s acceptance rate is 82%, so you stand a good chance of getting into this school.

Online learners at ECPI University can access their coursework through Canvas and complete courses asynchronously and or synchronously. Online students also have access to financial assistance at this school and they include scholarships, veterans and military benefits, and an employer partnership program.

The school provides online students with support services like career services, military and veterans services, and an online library. This school offers online students the opportunity to graduate faster compared to other institutions and universities. For more information about this school, see ECPI University Online.

FAQs

Recommended

• 34 Best 4-6 Week Certificate Programs Online that Pay Well
• 18 Best Online Colleges that Pay You to Attend
• 1-Year MSW Programs Online: Fast Track MSW
• Top 12 Business Management Courses Online
• Top 15 Online Certificate Courses for Doctors