2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Economics is the 18th most popular major in the country with 48,831 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, economics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $47,295 and had an average of $21,978 in loans still to pay off.

Across Virginia, there were 1,392 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $47,150 and $23,646 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 72 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 5 colleges that offered a degree in economics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent economics programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the economics program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Economics Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 5 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Economics (Income $0-$30k) in Virginia

#1

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia

#1 in overall quality

$32,394 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Virginia - Main Campus. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, this large public school handed out 14 diplomas to qualified masters’s economics students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our virginia master’s degree economics students whose families make $0-$30k list, University of Virginia has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Virginia - Main Campus are $32,394, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full University of Virginia - Main Campus Economics Report

#2

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

#2 in overall quality

$30,547 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Virginia Tech. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. Virginia Tech is a large school located in Blacksburg, Virginia that handed out 8 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Virginia Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Virginia Tech are $30,547, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Virginia Tech Economics Report

#3

George Mason University

Fairfax, Virginia

#3 in overall quality

$37,410 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$84,653 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend George Mason University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. GMU is located in Fairfax, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 45 masters’s economics degrees to qualified students.

GMU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at GMU are $37,410.

Read full report on Economics at George Mason University

#4

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, Virginia

$29,228 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Virginia Commonwealth University landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Richmond, Virginia, and it awarded 2 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

VCU also took the #0 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at VCU are $29,228, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Economics at Virginia Commonwealth University

#5

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, Virginia

#4 in overall quality

$33,288 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Old Dominion University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. Norfolk, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s economics degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

Old Dominion also took the #4 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Old Dominion are $33,288, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Economics at Old Dominion University

• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Economics (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region
• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Economics (Income $0-$30k)

Notes and References

References

• 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).
• Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

• *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
• Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

• Credit for the banner image above goes to pixabay.

Featured Economics Schools

Request Info

Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More >