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Most affordable private colleges in Virginia

28 private colleges in Virginia report net price data, ranging from $11,607 at the lowest to higher costs at more selective schools. The median net price across these is $23,844. Virginia's private colleges run a bit higher than the national average for the kind. The list below shows the most affordable options, ranked by net price.

Median net price in Virginia

$23,844

National median for private colleges

$15,832

private colleges reporting in Virginia

28

The most affordable private colleges in Virginia, ranked by net price

1

Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach

VA

Net price

$11,607

Receive grant aid

93%

2

Virginia University of Lynchburg

VA

Net price

$17,734

Receive grant aid

98%

3

Regent University

VA

Net price

$18,314

Receive grant aid

91%

4

Mary Baldwin University

VA

Net price

$18,838

Receive grant aid

98%

5

Net price

$19,660

Receive grant aid

100%

6

Virginia Union University

VA

Net price

$20,207

Receive grant aid

88%

7

Randolph College

VA

Net price

$20,856

Receive grant aid

100%

8

Emory & Henry University

VA

Net price

$21,714

Receive grant aid

97%

9

Virginia Wesleyan University

VA

Net price

$21,862

Receive grant aid

100%

10

Net price

$22,191

Receive grant aid

99%

11

Ferrum College

VA

Net price

$22,521

Receive grant aid

100%

12

University of Lynchburg

VA

Net price

$22,921

Receive grant aid

100%

13

Hollins University

VA

Net price

$23,444

Receive grant aid

100%

14

Riverside College of Health Careers

VA

Net price

$23,596

Receive grant aid

27%

15

Net price

$24,091

Receive grant aid

100%

16

Washington and Lee University

VA

Net price

$24,667

Receive grant aid

63%

17

Eastern Mennonite University

VA

Net price

$24,710

Receive grant aid

95%

18

Centra College

VA

Net price

$24,868

Receive grant aid

100%

19

Southern Virginia University

VA

Net price

$25,440

Receive grant aid

100%

20

Sweet Briar College

VA

Net price

$25,598

Receive grant aid

99%

21

Shenandoah University

VA

Net price

$26,400

Receive grant aid

100%

22

Roanoke College

VA

Net price

$27,695

Receive grant aid

100%

23

Marymount University

VA

Net price

$28,147

Receive grant aid

97%

24

Hampton University

VA

Net price

$28,576

Receive grant aid

87%

25

Randolph-Macon College

VA

Net price

$29,058

Receive grant aid

100%

What makes a school affordable here

In Virginia, the most affordable private colleges share two things in common. First, low published net prices reflect both reasonable sticker prices and meaningful institutional or state aid. Second, a high share of students receive grant aid. At Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach, the most affordable on this list, 93% of students receive grant aid. Net price reflects what a typical family actually pays, not the sticker price you see at first glance. A school with a $50,000 sticker price and a $10,000 net price is more affordable for most families than a school with a $20,000 sticker and a $19,000 net price.

Affordable colleges in Virginia, other types

Affordable private colleges in other states

Find your personalized cost

National rankings use publicly available federal cost data. Plug in your actual aid offer and family situation for a Worth-It Score that reflects your specific picture.

Affordability rankings use publicly available federal higher-ed cost data. Net price reflects the average cost a family pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from total cost of attendance, for the 2022-23 reporting year. See full methodology →