2026 Best Value General Engineering Schools in Virginia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Engineering Schools
Leading the list is J Sargeant Reynolds Community College, our #1 best value for general engineering in Virginia. J Sargeant Reynolds Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Richmond. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,280, with out-of-state students paying around $11,718. Students borrow a median of $10,500 to complete the general engineering program here. General Engineering graduates of J Sargeant Reynolds Community College earn a median of $36,965 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,500 median debt.
John Tyler Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. John Tyler Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Chester. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,082, while out-of-state students pay about $11,520. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $11,262 in student loans. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $36,623. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Lord Fairfax Community College earned it the #3 place for general engineering. Located in the rural area of Middletown, Lord Fairfax Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,072 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $11,510. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $10,698 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Lord Fairfax Community College generally make around $37,531. Set against $10,698 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Virginia Western Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Roanoke, Virginia Western Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,400, compared with $11,838 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $13,715 to complete the general engineering program here. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $36,245. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #5 makes Germanna Community College one of the best values for general engineering. Germanna Community College is a large public school located in the rural area of Locust Grove. In-state tuition and fees average $5,257, while out-of-state students pay about $11,648. Students borrow a median of $10,999 to complete the general engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Germanna Community College generally make around $41,880. Set against $10,999 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Piedmont Virginia Community College landed the #6 spot for general engineering value this year. Located in the suburb of Charlottesville, Piedmont Virginia Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,072 in tuition and fees, compared with $11,510 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $12,495. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $46,129. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Thomas Nelson Community College earned the #7 position for value in general engineering this year. Set in the suburb of Hampton, Thomas Nelson Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,088, compared with $11,526 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $14,402 to complete the general engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Thomas Nelson Community College generally make around $36,758. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Tidewater Community College earned the #8 position for value in general engineering this year. Located in the city of Norfolk, Tidewater Community College is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,858, with out-of-state students paying around $12,296. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $12,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Tidewater Community College generally make around $68,555. Set against $12,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Northern Virginia Community College came in at #9 for value in general engineering this year. Located in the suburb of Annandale, Northern Virginia Community College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,891, while out-of-state students pay about $12,410. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $9,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Northern Virginia Community College generally make around $16,790. That is a strong return on a $9,500 median debt.
Southwest Virginia Community College earned the #10 position for value in general engineering this year. Set in the rural area of Cedar Bluff, Southwest Virginia Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,075, while out-of-state students pay about $11,513. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $5,500 in student loans. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $32,277. That is a strong return on a $5,500 median debt.
Old Dominion University placed #11 among the best values for general engineering. Located in the city of Norfolk, Old Dominion University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,750 in tuition and fees, compared with $33,780 for out-of-state students. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,001 in student loans. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $88,224. That is a strong return on a $26,001 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
James Madison University landed the #12 spot for general engineering value this year. Set in the city of Harrisonburg, James Madison University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,966, compared with $31,312 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the general engineering program here. General Engineering graduates of James Madison University earn a median of $71,176 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. James Madison University admits about 72% of applicants.
Randolph Macon College earned the #13 position for value in general engineering this year. Located in the suburb of Ashland, Randolph Macon College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $49,466. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $26,432. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $40,317. Set against $26,432 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Randolph Macon College admits about 87% of applicants.
Hampton University placed #14 among the best values for general engineering. Hampton University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Hampton. In-state tuition and fees average $30,592. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,169 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Hampton University generally make around $46,870. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 62% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 26 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
[General Engineering](/majors/engineering/general-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
