2025 Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in Virginia
Ranked #5 in popularity,
nursing is one of the most sought-after doctor's degree programs in the nation. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.
In 2025, College Factual analyzed 6 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in Virginia ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 249 doctor's degrees in nursing to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
Choosing a Great Nursing School for Your Doctor's Degree
Your choice of nursing for getting your doctor's degree school matters. Important measures of a quality nursing program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
Overall Quality Is a Must
The overall quality of a doctor's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
Average Early-Career Salaries
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their doctor's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their doctor's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
Other Factors We Consider
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
- Major Focus - How much a school focuses on nursing students vs. other majors.
- Major Demand - The number of nursing students who choose to seek a doctor's degree at the school.
- Educational Resources - The amount of money and other resources allocated to students while they are pursuing their degree. These resources include such things as number of students per instructor and education expenditures per student.
- Student Debt - How easy is it for nursing to pay back their student loans after receiving their doctor's degree.
- Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized nursing related body.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for nursing students working on their doctor's degree.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in Virginia ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
Best Schools for Doctorate Students to Study Nursing in Virginia
Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for nursing students seeking a a doctor's degree.
Top Virginia Schools for a Doctorate in Nursing
Every student pursuing a degree in a doctor's degree in nursing has to take a look at Virginia Commonwealth University. Located in the medium-sized city of Richmond, VCU is a public university with a very large student population.
Doctorate recipients from the nursing program at Virginia Commonwealth University earn $42,460 above the standard college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.
More information about a doctorate in nursing from Virginia Commonwealth University
University of Virginia - Main Campus is a good option for students pursuing a doctor's degree in nursing. Located in the suburb of Charlottesville, University of Virginia is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Doctorate students who receive their degree from the nursing program make around $131,091 in their early career salary.
More information about a doctorate in nursing from University of Virginia - Main Campus
Old Dominion University is a good choice for students pursuing a doctor's degree in nursing. Located in the medium-sized city of Norfolk, Old Dominion is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Those nursing students who get their doctor's degree from Old Dominion University make $32,343 more than the typical nursing student.
More information about a doctorate in nursing from Old Dominion University
It is hard to beat Liberty University if you wish to pursue a doctor's degree in nursing. Located in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in nursing from Liberty University
JMU is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Harrisonburg.More information about a doctorate in nursing from James Madison University
