Virginia has 162 colleges including 86 four-year colleges, 40 community colleges, and 36 trade schools. By control type, 44 schools are public and 118 schools are private. 576,084 students enrolled in Virginia colleges according to IPEDS.
For 4-year colleges, commonly said to as colleges, there are 86 schools are active in Virginia (16 public and 70 private). 408,201 students enrolled in the schools, by gender, 176,095 men and 232,106 women students.
These colleges have an average acceptance rate of 70.25% and an average SAT score of 1,182. The average tuition & fees for in-state students is $15,702 and for out-of-state students is $35,461. The average enrollment is about 4,747 students per college. On average, each college offers about 61 programs.
The following table lists major colleges in Virginia that have high enrollment, good academic reputation, and recognized by Virginia residents. It includes 10 public institutions and 8 private institutions.
| Region | Prominent Institutions |
|---|---|
| Central Virginia | University of Virginia-Main Campus |
| Hampton Roads / Eastern | Old Dominion University, Christopher Newport University |
| Northern Virginia | George Mason University |
| Shenandoah Valley / Western | James Madison University; (also Virginia Tech as a statewide flagship land-grant) |
| Historic Tidewater | William & Mary |
| Lexington / Rural Central | Virginia Military Institute |
| Private Selective Colleges | Washington and Lee University, University of Richmond, Hampden-Sydney College |
University of Virginia-Main Campus, located in Charlottesville, is generally considered the flagship institution in Virginia. It offers wide range of programs in both undergraduate and graduate levels, including 126 graduate programs and 23 online programs. Its total enrollment is approximately 26,409 including 1,962 online students.
George Mason University has the highest enrollment among these colleges, with a student population of 39,766 students. It offers the largest number of programs of 302.
Of the major colleges in Virginia, 5 law schools and 3 medical schools are affiliated with these colleges. University of Virginia-Main Campus has both a law school and a medical school. You can check the law schools and medical schools in the table below.
| Name | Graduate Programs | Distance Learning | Tuition & Fees | Adm. Rate | SAT Score | Enroll | Offered Programs | Law School | Medical School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville | Yes | Yes | $61,591 | 16.81% | 1480 | 26,409 | 225 | Visit | Visit |
| Washington and Lee University Lexington | Yes | No | $68,045 | 13.97% | 1480 | 2,241 | 38 | Visit | |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg | Yes | Yes | $37,764 | 54.78% | 1360 | 38,857 | 287 | Visit | |
| George Mason University Fairfax | Yes | Yes | $38,688 | 87.48% | 1270 | 39,766 | 302 | Visit | |
| University of Richmond University of Richmond | Yes | Yes | $65,230 | 22.20% | 1480 | 3,722 | 73 | Visit | |
| William & Mary Williamsburg | Yes | Yes | $51,038 | 34.07% | 1470 | 9,818 | 82 | Visit | |
| James Madison University Harrisonburg | Yes | Yes | $31,312 | 71.52% | 1250 | 22,740 | 104 | ||
| Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond | Yes | Yes | $39,884 | 92.62% | 1130 | 28,464 | 263 | Visit | |
| Christopher Newport University Newport News | Yes | Yes | $31,178 | 86.04% | 1170 | 4,454 | 28 | ||
| Randolph-Macon College Ashland | Yes | Yes | $49,466 | 86.61% | 1080 | 1,687 | 45 | ||
| Virginia Military Institute Lexington | No | No | $52,638 | 71.25% | 1180 | 1,527 | 14 | ||
| Hampden-Sydney College Hampden-Sydney | No | No | $54,550 | 40.92% | 1180 | 946 | 28 | ||
| Virginia State University Petersburg | Yes | Yes | $22,650 | 88.63% | 945 | 5,605 | 61 | ||
| University of Lynchburg Lynchburg | Yes | Yes | $36,750 | 43.01% | 1125 | 2,316 | 81 | ||
| Bridgewater College Bridgewater | Yes | Yes | $16,090 | 91.72% | 1180 | 1,448 | 36 | ||
| University of Virginia's College at Wise Wise | Yes | Yes | $28,010 | 28.54% | 1050 | 2,167 | 11 | ||
| Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar | Yes | Yes | $26,160 | 75.54% | 1230 | 444 | 25 | ||
| Hollins University Roanoke | Yes | Yes | $43,560 | 67.95% | 1230 | 761 | 42 |