Best Engineering colleges in Virginia
Why a degree in engineering?
Let’s face it, you’re smart. You passed science and math classes with flying colors, and you are the “go-to” when it comes to computer help. You probably took apart a lot of things in your childhood just to see how they worked. Now here you are, ready to literally build the future.
How to prepare for an engineering degree
Engineering has a lot of positives. As suspected, student debt won’t be a concern since finding an engineering career with a starting salary less than $55,000 or an average salary less than $85,000 is more difficult than learning the RubixCube pattern. If money isn’t your driving factor, how about the 85% of engineers who are satisfied with their jobs*, despite longer workdays.
It’s the challenges every day that keep engineers and their ticking minds happy. So if you think you can hack it out with the best of them, brush the dust off that TI84 and get ready. It really is rocket science.
*Evaluation Enginering, EE-Evaluation Engineering’s 2013 salary survey, http://www.evaluationengineering.com/articles/201308/work-life-balance-key-to-job-satisfaction.phpBest Engineering colleges in Virginia for 2021
If you like using your hands to solve problems, you’ll fit right in at Virginia Tech where “hands on, minds on” is a way of life. To gain valuable engineering experience get involved with one of the 15-student project teams. These teams design and build autonomous sailboats, space mining robots, and solar powered houses and enter them into competitions. At the Ware Lab students can draft up design plans using sophisticated software, cut and weld parts, and ultimately assemble the creation in a project bay. When you’re not busy building boats and ‘bots you’re taking classes in Goodwin Hall. Or, if you work as a research assistant, you can help professors carry out cutting-edge studies in one of the building’s many robotics, aerospace, and biological labs. Students who want to share a common living space with other future engineers live in Galileo or Hypatia. In these living learning communities you can access mentoring, tutoring and social activities tailored to your needs and interests as an engineering major.
University of Virginia-Main Campus offers 46 Engineering degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small suburb. In 2019, 931 Engineering students graduated with students earning 630 Bachelor's degrees, 214 Master's degrees, and 87 Doctoral degrees.
George Mason University offers 32 Engineering degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2019, 658 Engineering students graduated with students earning 393 Bachelor's degrees, 163 Master's degrees, 78 Certificates, and 24 Doctoral degrees.
Old Dominion University offers 29 Engineering degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2019, 757 Engineering students graduated with students earning 466 Bachelor's degrees, 232 Master's degrees, 41 Doctoral degrees, and 18 Certificates.
Virginia Commonwealth University offers 24 Engineering degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2019, 519 Engineering students graduated with students earning 345 Bachelor's degrees, 92 Certificates, 47 Master's degrees, and 35 Doctoral degrees.
Tidewater Community College offers 19 Engineering degree programs. It's a large, public, two-year college in a midsize city. In 2019, 515 Engineering students graduated with students earning 356 Certificates, and 159 Associate's degrees.
Virginia State University offers 6 Engineering degree programs. It's a small, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2019, 66 Engineering students graduated with students earning 66 Bachelor's degrees.
Liberty University offers 12 Engineering degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2019, 284 Engineering students graduated with students earning 173 Bachelor's degrees, and 111 Master's degrees.
University of Lynchburg offers 3 Engineering degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2019, 32 Engineering students graduated with students earning 32 Bachelor's degrees.
James Madison University offers 2 Engineering degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2019, 91 Engineering students graduated with students earning 91 Bachelor's degrees.
List of all Engineering colleges in Virginia
| School | Average Tuition | Student Teacher Ratio | Enrolled Students | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA | 18 : 1 | 36,383 | |
|
University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA | 16 : 1 | 25,012 | |
|
George Mason University Fairfax, VA | 27 : 1 | 37,863 | |
|
Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA | 27 : 1 | 23,675 | |
|
Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA | 23 : 1 | 29,757 | |
|
Tidewater Community College Norfolk, VA | 66 : 1 | 19,064 | |
|
Northern Virginia Community College Annandale, VA | 81 : 1 | 51,822 | |
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New River Community College Dublin, VA | 90 : 1 | 4,332 | |
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Southside Virginia Community College Alberta, VA | 60 : 1 | 3,219 | |
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Central Virginia Community College Lynchburg, VA | 65 : 1 | 3,813 | |
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Thomas Nelson Community College Hampton, VA | 67 : 1 | 7,314 | |
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Mountain Empire Community College Big Stone Gap, VA | 55 : 1 | 2,313 | |
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Eastern Virginia Medical School Norfolk, VA | 10 : 1 | 1,275 | |
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Danville Community College Danville, VA | 61 : 1 | 2,813 | |
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Blue Ridge Community College Weyers Cave, VA | 58 : 1 | 3,834 | |
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Virginia Western Community College Roanoke, VA | 82 : 1 | 6,303 | |
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John Tyler Community College Chester, VA | 89 : 1 | 10,152 | |
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Norfolk State University Norfolk, VA | 23 : 1 | 5,601 | |
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Southwest Virginia Community College Cedar Bluff, VA | 60 : 1 | 2,338 | |
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Wytheville Community College Wytheville, VA | 84 : 1 | 2,450 | |