2026 Best Value General Public Health Schools in Virginia
[General Public Health](/majors/health-care-professions/public-health/public-health-general/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general public health education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 16 schools to find the best return on investment for general public health students.
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2026 Best Value General Public Health Schools in Virginia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general public health degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Public Health Schools
Our analysis ranked Radford University the best value for a degree in general public health in Virginia. Set in the town of Radford, Radford University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,548, with out-of-state students paying around $25,633. General Public Health graduates carry a median of $21,323 in student loans. General Public Health graduates of Radford University earn a median of $47,271 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Old Dominion University one of the best values for general public health. Set in the city of Norfolk, Old Dominion University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,750, while out-of-state students pay about $33,780. Students borrow a median of $26,001 to complete the general public health program here. Early-career general public health graduates make about $57,131. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
George Mason University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general public health, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,220, while out-of-state students pay about $38,688. General Public Health graduates carry a median of $22,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general public health degree recipients from George Mason University generally make around $52,149. Set against $22,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 88%.
A rank of #4 makes Virginia Commonwealth University one of the best values for general public health. Located in the city of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,720, with out-of-state students paying around $39,884. Students borrow a median of $23,813 to complete the general public health program here. Early-career general public health graduates make about $58,177. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 93%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Lynchburg College earned it the #5 place for general public health. Set in the city of Lynchburg, Lynchburg College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $36,750 in tuition and fees. General Public Health graduates of Lynchburg College earn a median of $107,159 early in their careers. Roughly 43% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Virginia Main Campus ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value general public health schools. Located in the suburb of Charlottesville, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $23,118 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $61,591. Students borrow a median of $18,627 to complete the general public health program here. Soon after graduation, general public health degree recipients from University Of Virginia Main Campus generally make around $63,861. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 17% of applicants are accepted.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University came in at #7 for value in general public health this year. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public school located in the city of Blacksburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,948, while out-of-state students pay about $37,764. Students borrow a median of $23,393 to complete the general public health program here. Early-career general public health graduates make about $66,357. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University admits about 55% of applicants.
Roanoke College landed the #8 spot for general public health value this year. Roanoke College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Salem. Students from in state pay about $38,068 in tuition and fees. General Public Health graduates carry a median of $26,940 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general public health degree recipients from Roanoke College generally make around $33,725. That is a strong return on a $26,940 median debt. Roughly 83% of applicants are accepted.
Liberty University placed #9 among the best values for general public health. Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lynchburg. Students from in state pay about $16,173 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general public health program here. Early-career general public health graduates make about $44,068. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 99%.
Shenandoah University placed #10 among the best values for general public health. Shenandoah University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Winchester. In-state tuition and fees average $36,950. General Public Health graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. General Public Health graduates of Shenandoah University earn a median of $62,948 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Shenandoah University admits about 77% of applicants.
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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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
