2026 Best Value Value Schools in Virginia
[Value](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/veterinary-animal-health-technologies/veterinary-animal-health-technology-technician-and-veterinary-assistant/) 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.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Value Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Value Schools
Tidewater Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value value schools in Virginia. Located in the city of Norfolk, Tidewater Community College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,858, compared with $12,296 for out-of-state students. Value graduates carry a median of $14,001 in student loans. Value graduates of Tidewater Community College earn a median of $35,627 early in their careers. Set against $14,001 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Northern Virginia Community College one of the best values for value. Northern Virginia Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Annandale. Students from in state pay about $5,891 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $12,410. Value graduates carry a median of $21,101 in student loans. Value graduates of Northern Virginia Community College earn a median of $42,966 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,101 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Blue Ridge Community College Weyers Cave one of the best values for value. Set in the rural area of Weyers Cave, Blue Ridge Community College Weyers Cave is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,646, compared with $12,084 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,562 to complete the value program here. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Blue Ridge Community College Weyers Cave generally make around $39,510. Set against $16,562 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
