by our College Data Analytics TeamIt's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Best Value Virginia Schools for a Master's ranking - to help you make that decision.
See What's Included in This Value Report:
We analyzed 32 schools across Virginia to determine which have the best value Master's Degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best value schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
Our Best Master's Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia ranking is determined by first looking at the combined costs of average tuition, fees, and room and board before any aid is applied. But, a school that excels in providing value for your money must also be a great school overall as well.
To account for this we include a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
We go into more detail on these factors on our best value ranking methodology page.
Keep scrolling for the top schools in this ranking or select one of the other rankings methods below.
If you know what major you want to study, check out our list of the best value schools by major. If you're interested in other degree levels, you can view one of the lists below.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2024 rankings named Virginia Tech the best value (no aid) school in Virginia for students working on their master’s degree. Virginia Tech is a large public school situated in Blacksburg, Virginia.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Virginia Tech is ranked #2 for quality in the state of Virginia. The average cost without aid for the school is $26,632 per year for graduate students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Liberty University. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia list. Located in Lynchburg, Virginia, the school is a large private not-for-profit institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Liberty University is ranked #8 for quality in the state of Virginia. The average cost without aid for the school is $19,907 per year for graduate students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend James Madison University. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia list. Located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, the school is a large public institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, James Madison University is ranked #5 for quality in the state of Virginia. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $24,064 a year.
Out of the 32 master’s degree schools in Virginia that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the #4 spot on the list. This large public school is located in Charlottesville, Virginia.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of Virginia - Main Campus is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Virginia. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $33,566 a year.
Read full value report on University of Virginia - Main Campus
The quality degree programs at George Mason University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia. GMU is located in Fairfax, Virginia and has a large student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, George Mason University is ranked #3 for quality in the state of Virginia. The average cost without aid for the school is $29,274 per year for graduate students.
William & Mary ranked #6 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia list. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school located in Williamsburg, Virginia.
William & Mary has the honor of being ranked #4 in Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $30,354 a year.
Virginia Commonwealth University did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia ranking, coming in at #7. VCU is a public institution located in Richmond, Virginia.
Virginia Commonwealth University has the honor of being ranked #9 in Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $27,797 per year for graduate students.
Old Dominion University landed the #8 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia ranking. Located in Norfolk, Virginia, the school is a large public institution.
Old Dominion University has the honor of being ranked #10 in Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $26,212 a year.
Radford University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia ranking. Radford University is a medium-sized public school located in Radford, Virginia.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Radford University is ranked #13 for quality in the state of Virginia. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $22,865 a year.
Regent University landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia ranking. Regent University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Not only is Regent University a great value, but it is also ranked #14 in Virginia for overall quality. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $24,194 a year.
University of Management and Technology did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia ranking, coming in at #11. Arlington, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a private for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of Management and Technology is ranked #26 for quality in the state of Virginia. The average cost without aid for the school is $13,545 per year for graduate students.
Learn More About Value at University of Management and Technology
Longwood University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia list. Longwood University is a small public school located in Farmville, Virginia.
Not only is Longwood University a great value, but it is also ranked #15 in Virginia for overall quality. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $22,870 a year.
Christopher Newport University landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia ranking. Christopher Newport University is a small public school located in Newport News, Virginia.
Not only is Christopher Newport University a great value, but it is also ranked #16 in Virginia for overall quality. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $23,766 a year.
Bluefield College did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia ranking, coming in at #14. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Bluefield, Virginia.
Not only is Bluefield College a great value, but it is also ranked #21 in Virginia for overall quality. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $19,911 a year.
With a ranking of #15, Eastern Mennonite University did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia list. Eastern Mennonite University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Eastern Mennonite University is ranked #12 for quality in the state of Virginia. The average cost without aid for the school is $27,170 per year for graduate students.
With a ranking of #16, ECPI University did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia list. This fairly large private for-profit school is located in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
ECPI University has the honor of being ranked #18 in Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $21,630 a year.
Shenandoah University landed the #17 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia ranking. Shenandoah University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Winchester, Virginia.
Not only is Shenandoah University a great value, but it is also ranked #7 in Virginia for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $34,450 per year for graduate students.
Strayer University - Virginia ranked #18 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia list. Strayer University - Virginia is a small private for-profit school situated in Arlington, Virginia.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Strayer University - Virginia is ranked #17 for quality in the state of Virginia. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $23,355 a year.
Virginia Wesleyan University landed the #19 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia ranking. Virginia Wesleyan University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Not only is Virginia Wesleyan University a great value, but it is also ranked #25 in Virginia for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $19,246 per year for graduate students.
University of Mary Washington came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia ranking. UMW is a public institution located in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Not only is University of Mary Washington a great value, but it is also ranked #19 in Virginia for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $23,478 per year for graduate students.
Mary Baldwin University landed the #21 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia ranking. Mary Baldwin is located in Staunton, Virginia and has a small student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Mary Baldwin University is ranked #20 for quality in the state of Virginia. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $22,900 a year.
University of Lynchburg landed the #22 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia ranking. Lynchburg is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lynchburg, Virginia.
University of Lynchburg has the honor of being ranked #22 in Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $24,249 per year for graduate students.
Virginia State University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia list. This small public school is located in Petersburg, Virginia.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Virginia State University is ranked #27 for quality in the state of Virginia. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $23,533 a year.
With a ranking of #24, Hampton University did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia list. Hampton is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Hampton, Virginia.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Hampton University is ranked #23 for quality in the state of Virginia. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $26,120 a year.
University of Richmond landed the #25 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in Virginia ranking. URichmond is located in University of Richmond, Virginia and has a small student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
University of Richmond has the honor of being ranked #6 in Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $39,570 per year for graduate students.
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.