Top 50 Best Bachelor's Degree Programs in Virginia by ROI

Every Bachelor's Degree program in Virginia ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in Virginia

614

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$46,700

Across all Virginia programs

Average Annual Cost

$37,139

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	University of Virginia-Main Campus Grad rate: 95.3%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$1,148,904	$108,272	$38,132	$17,783	Full ROI →
2	University of Virginia-Main Campus Grad rate: 95.3%	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.	+$1,080,712	$103,662	$38,132	N/A	Full ROI →
3	University of Virginia-Main Campus Grad rate: 95.3%	Computer Engineering.	+$1,022,770	$101,904	$38,132	$16,875	Full ROI →
4	George Mason University Grad rate: 69.9%	Computer Engineering.	+$1,003,091	$99,351	$26,972	$26,697	Full ROI →
5	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Grad rate: 86.3%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$939,105	$96,747	$32,040	$20,500	Full ROI →
6	University of Virginia-Main Campus Grad rate: 95.3%	Business/Commerce, General.	+$926,252	$95,939	$38,132	N/A	Full ROI →
7	University of Virginia-Main Campus Grad rate: 95.3%	Systems Engineering.	+$879,767	$94,931	$38,132	$19,500	Full ROI →
8	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Grad rate: 86.3%	Construction Engineering.	+$818,597	$91,140	$32,040	$26,698	Full ROI →
9	William & Mary Grad rate: 91.0%	Mathematics.	+$806,375	$91,943	$41,118	$20,750	Full ROI →
10	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Grad rate: 86.3%	Computer Engineering.	+$800,020	$90,164	$32,040	$26,000	Full ROI →
11	George Mason University Grad rate: 69.9%	Systems Engineering.	+$785,782	$88,101	$26,972	$21,000	Full ROI →
12	James Madison University Grad rate: 81.0%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$729,183	$85,951	$30,213	$21,470	Full ROI →
13	William & Mary Grad rate: 91.0%	Computer Science.	+$726,526	$87,886	$41,118	$19,794	Full ROI →
14	George Mason University Grad rate: 69.9%	Computer Science.	+$715,812	$83,185	$26,972	N/A	Full ROI →
15	Old Dominion University Grad rate: 46.2%	Computer Engineering.	+$696,784	$83,852	$27,180	$23,360	Full ROI →
16	James Madison University Grad rate: 81.0%	Information Science/Studies.	+$668,304	$82,877	$30,213	$21,025	Full ROI →
17	George Mason University Grad rate: 69.9%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$666,404	$82,284	$26,972	$23,250	Full ROI →
18	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Grad rate: 86.3%	Chemical Engineering.	+$652,377	$82,738	$32,040	$25,350	Full ROI →
19	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Grad rate: 86.3%	Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods.	+$638,985	$81,822	$32,040	$21,700	Full ROI →
20	Virginia Commonwealth University Grad rate: 64.9%	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.	+$634,416	$82,210	$34,346	$24,000	Full ROI →
21	University of Mary Washington Grad rate: 68.1%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$625,712	$80,627	$29,234	$22,142	Full ROI →
22	James Madison University Grad rate: 81.0%	Finance and Financial Management Services.	+$619,593	$80,406	$30,213	$20,500	Full ROI →
23	University of Virginia-Main Campus Grad rate: 95.3%	Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering.	+$589,063	$80,039	$38,132	$14,214	Full ROI →
24	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Grad rate: 86.3%	Industrial Engineering.	+$588,885	$79,396	$32,040	$22,870	Full ROI →
25	Chamberlain University-Virginia	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$587,412	$74,013	N/A	$39,146	Full ROI →
26	University of Richmond Grad rate: 87.9%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$580,075	$88,040	$77,290	$23,381	Full ROI →
27	Virginia Commonwealth University Grad rate: 64.9%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$572,918	$78,801	$34,346	$19,050	Full ROI →
28	University of Virginia-Main Campus Grad rate: 95.3%	Statistics.	+$572,737	$79,512	$38,132	$18,500	Full ROI →
29	George Mason University Grad rate: 69.9%	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.	+$572,013	$77,799	$26,972	$26,725	Full ROI →
30	Virginia State University Grad rate: 39.3%	Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians.	+$561,168	$74,893	$24,173	N/A	Full ROI →
31	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Grad rate: 86.3%	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.	+$558,583	$78,082	$32,040	$25,849	Full ROI →
32	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Grad rate: 86.3%	Mechanical Engineering.	+$555,350	$77,728	$32,040	$23,000	Full ROI →
33	University of Virginia-Main Campus Grad rate: 95.3%	Mathematics.	+$552,987	$78,592	$38,132	$19,500	Full ROI →
34	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Grad rate: 86.3%	Construction Management.	+$550,870	$77,774	$32,040	$27,000	Full ROI →
35	University of Virginia-Main Campus Grad rate: 95.3%	Chemical Engineering.	+$545,812	$78,114	$38,132	$17,733	Full ROI →
36	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Grad rate: 86.3%	Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering.	+$544,700	$77,398	$32,040	$26,000	Full ROI →
37	Washington and Lee University Grad rate: 94.9%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$530,100	$85,103	$82,990	N/A	Full ROI →
38	James Madison University Grad rate: 81.0%	Systems Science and Theory.	+$517,181	$75,407	$30,213	$22,301	Full ROI →
39	Old Dominion University Grad rate: 46.2%	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.	+$511,787	$74,887	$27,180	$27,580	Full ROI →
40	Shenandoah University Grad rate: 66.5%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$506,020	$77,401	$50,500	N/A	Full ROI →
41	Liberty University Grad rate: 64.5%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$499,380	$77,205	$41,707	$28,068	Full ROI →
42	University of Richmond Grad rate: 87.9%	Economics.	+$497,330	$83,877	$77,290	$23,000	Full ROI →
43	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Grad rate: 86.3%	Mining and Mineral Engineering.	+$495,875	$74,613	$32,040	$20,907	Full ROI →
44	Old Dominion University Grad rate: 46.2%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$494,491	$73,924	$27,180	$26,125	Full ROI →
45	Christopher Newport University Grad rate: 75.6%	Information Science/Studies.	+$490,492	$74,728	$32,242	$26,000	Full ROI →
46	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Grad rate: 86.3%	Finance and Financial Management Services.	+$481,385	$73,996	$32,040	$22,500	Full ROI →
47	University of Virginia-Main Campus Grad rate: 95.3%	Biomedical/Medical Engineering.	+$474,572	$74,597	$38,132	$18,400	Full ROI →
48	ECPI University Grad rate: 47.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$474,518	$73,293	$27,999	$29,145	Full ROI →
49	Old Dominion University Grad rate: 46.2%	Mechanical Engineering.	+$466,010	$72,559	$27,180	$27,000	Full ROI →
50	George Mason University Grad rate: 69.9%	Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods.	+$463,857	$71,836	$26,972	$18,500	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.