Best Virginia Schools
By Iris StoneAs one of the 13 original colonies, Virginia is home to some of the oldest universities in the entire country – and many of them maintain close ties with their historic roots. From Emory & Henry College, which draws its commitment to civic engagement from the eponymous Patrick Henry (the first governor of Virginia), to the College of William & Mary, which sits just down the road from Colonial Williamsburg, universities in this state wear their age well. Virginia is also home to some of the biggest names in public education, including top-rated UVA, the engineering hub Virginia Tech, and George Mason University – an up-and-coming state school with a growing reputation (and easy access to D.C.). For the corresponding ranking of online schools, see Best Online Colleges in Virginia.
But the main shared feature amongst all the schools listed below is their value; in other words, their ability to combine cost with quality in a way that will make you think they have a tree of money hidden somewhere on campus. To identify these "best value" colleges, we identified a few primary metrics. By simultaneously judging a school on its affordability an selectivity as well as both student and alumni success, we aimed to bring you the best of both worlds.
Our Ranking Methodology:
Graduation Rate: This indicator refers to the percentage of students who complete their degree within 150% of normal time (six years for a typical four-year degree program). Schools that perform well in this area have a track record of keeping students engaged and successful for their entire time on campus. We weighted this category 30% of the total and retrieved the information from College Navigator.
Net Price: In order to make sure that cost was still a factor in the ranking, we also considered overall net price as an indicator. Taken from data on College Navigator, "net price" is an approximate value that refers to the average amount of money a student could expect to pay each year after taking into account tuition, room and board, living expenses, scholarship awards, and financial aid packages. We weighted this category 25% of the total.
Acceptance Rate: Academically challenging, popular universities tend to be more selective and thus have a lower acceptance rate. In order to pinpoint those colleges that boast rigorous academics and also receive a large number of applications, we considered acceptance rate – the percentage of students out of the total number of applicants who receive an acceptance letter. We retrieved this information from College Navigator and weighted it 30% of the total.
20-Year Net Return on Investment: Taken from information on the website PayScale, this statistic provides a picture of how much students can expect to make after they graduate from a particular college. More specifically, the figure is calculated by taking the average income an alumnus will make over his or her first 20 years after graduation and subtracting the amount paid in tuition. Schools with a high ROI tend to be better at preparing their students for the job market. We weighted this category only 15% because data was not available for all colleges considered.
After adding all the points, we gave each university a final score out of 200. The schools below have scores ranging from 71 to 185, and each has something different to offer in terms of its cost, quality, and reputation. No one college is perfect (which is why the scores vary so much) but this ranking offers you a premier selection of universities to help get you started on your search for an education in Virginia.
Featured Online Programs
Figuring out where to apply? These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online degrees. Consider one of these accredited programs, and discover their value today.
Sources:
College Navigator
Pay Scale
About the Author:
Iris Stone began her writing career as a freelance writer and researcher. She now owns and operates a writing and editing firm that works with clients all across the country. Her work has included articles related to education policy, colleges and universities, academic programs, and careers.
