Virginia is home to some of the most prestigious and historic colleges in the country, but also some of the most expensive ones. If you want a high-quality education in the Old Dominion, be prepared to pay a hefty price tag. Here are the 10 most expensive colleges in Virginia, based on the tuition and fees for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Bridgewater College
Bridgewater College is a private liberal arts college in Bridgewater, Virginia, affiliated with the Church of the Brethren. It offers more than 60 majors and minors, as well as pre-professional programs in fields such as medicine, law, and engineering. The college has a student-faculty ratio 13:1 and an average class size of 18. The tuition and fees for Bridgewater College are $39,800 per year.
Eastern Mennonite University
Eastern Mennonite University is a private Christian university in Harrisonburg, Virginia, associated with the Mennonite Church USA. It offers undergraduate, graduate, and seminary programs in areas such as peacebuilding, nursing, education, and environmental sustainability. The university has a student-faculty ratio 10:1 and an average class size of 14. The tuition and fees for Eastern Mennonite University are $40,990 per year.
Hollins University
Hollins University is a private women’s university in Roanoke, Virginia, founded in 1842. It offers more than 50 majors and minors and coeducational graduate programs in creative writing, children’s literature, and screenwriting. The university has a student-faculty ratio 8:1 and an average class size of 11. The tuition and fees for Hollins University are $41,210 per year.
Randolph-Macon College
Randolph-Macon College is a private liberal arts college in Ashland, Virginia, affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It offers more than 50 majors and minors, as well as a dual-degree program in engineering with Virginia Commonwealth University. The college has a student-faculty ratio 10:1 and an average class size of 16. The tuition and fees for Randolph-Macon College are $46,460 per year.
William & Mary
William & Mary is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia, founded in 1693. It is the second-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, after Harvard University. It offers more than 40 undergraduate and 35 graduate programs, as well as a law school and a business school. The university has a student-faculty ratio 12:1 and an average class size of 20. The tuition and fees for William & Mary are $47,196 per year for out-of-state students and $23,970 per year for in-state students.
Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute is a public military college in Lexington, Virginia, founded in 1839. It is the oldest state-supported military college in the United States and one of the six senior military colleges in the country. It offers 14 majors and 23 minors, as well as a joint engineering program with Washington and Lee University. The college has a student-faculty ratio 10:1 and an average class size of 11. The tuition and fees for Virginia Military Institute are $49,722 per year for out-of-state students and $19,914 per year for in-state students.
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney College is a private men’s liberal arts college in Hampden Sydney, Virginia, founded in 1775. It is one of the few remaining all-male colleges in the United States, and the oldest of the three. It offers more than 40 majors and minors, as well as a dual-degree program in engineering with Old Dominion University. The college has a student-faculty ratio 9:1 and an average class size of 14. The tuition and fees for Hampden-Sydney College are $50,740 per year.
University of Virginia
University of Virginia is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson. It is one of the original eight public Ivy League schools and one of the best public universities in the country. It offers more than 120 majors and minors, as well as professional schools in law, medicine, business, education, and engineering. The university has a student-faculty ratio 15:1 and an average class size of 19. The tuition and fees for the University of Virginia are $57,374 per year for out-of-state students and $21,425 per year for in-state students.
University of Richmond
University of Richmond is a private liberal arts university in Richmond, Virginia, founded in 1830. It offers more than 60 majors and minors, as well as five schools of arts and sciences, business, leadership, law, and professional and continuing studies. The university has a student-faculty ratio of 8:1 and an average class size of 16. The tuition and fees for the University of Richmond are $60,330 per year.
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts university in Lexington, Virginia, founded in 1749. It is the ninth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and the second-oldest in Virginia. It offers more than 40 majors and minors, as well as a law school and a business school. The university has a student-faculty ratio 7:1 and an average class size of 15. The tuition and fees for Washington and Lee University are $61,750 per year.
