Most Affordable Private Colleges in Virginia
Private nonprofit colleges rarely cost what their price tags say. Among the 23 we rank in Virginia, the average net price runs from $12,756 to $31,309 a year, a range of $18,553.
The median net price is $22,400, $1,460 (6%) below the national median of $23,860 for private nonprofit colleges. Median tuition and fees are $36,950, but the median net price, which also counts room, board and books after grants, is $22,400, so aid more than covers the housing and living costs added on top of tuition.
Mary Baldwin University ranks first at $12,756, ahead of Virginia Union University ($13,235) and Randolph College ($15,921).
How this list is built
A college appears here only if it meets every condition below.
- Colleges considered
- Private nonprofit 4-year colleges whose main award is the bachelor's degree
- Ranked by net price, lowest first. Ties are broken by larger undergraduate enrollment, then by name.
- Main campuses only, with at least 60% of core data fields reported
- Main campus located in Virginia
- At least 500 undergraduate students enrolled (fall 2024)
- A reported net price value (schools without one are not ranked)
- This page is published only when at least 15 schools qualify; Virginia has 23
- Data period
- Net price: average for students receiving aid, academic year 2023-24.
- Tuition and fees: full-time undergraduate sticker price, academic year 2024-25 (the same for in-state and out-of-state students).
- Net price by income: students with family income of $0 to $30,000, academic year 2023-24.
- Graduation rate: first-time, full-time students who started in fall 2018 (4-year) or fall 2021 (2-year), finishing within 150% of normal time.
- Earnings: median earnings four years after completing, measured in 2022 and 2023 for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 cohorts, in 2024 dollars.
- Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.
Showing all 23 qualifying schools. Select a column heading to re-sort the table.
| 1 | Mary Baldwin University Staunton, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $12,756 | $34,152 | $12,717 | 43% | $51,402 |
| 2 | Virginia Union University Richmond, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $13,235 | $17,450 | $11,424 | 39% | $50,840 |
| 3 | Randolph College Lynchburg, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $15,921 | $30,310 | $13,048 | 49% | $50,675 |
| 4 | Bridgewater College Bridgewater, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $17,800 | $16,090 | $13,283 | 51% | $55,722 |
| 5 | Emory & Henry University Emory, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $19,061 | $39,000 | $14,246 | 55% | $47,079 |
| 6 | Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Beach, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $19,676 | $37,500 | $14,080 | 46% | $50,183 |
| 7 | Regent University Virginia Beach, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $19,923 | $21,650 | $20,064 | 56% | $56,558 |
| 8 | Ferrum College Ferrum, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $20,082 | $28,520 | $16,940 | 30% | $46,725 |
| 9 | Hollins University Roanoke, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $20,896 | $43,560 | $17,511 | 67% | $44,151 |
| 10 | Southern Virginia University Buena Vista, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $22,213 | $21,280 | $18,957 | 36% | $44,267 |
| 11 | University of Lynchburg Lynchburg, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $22,235 | $36,750 | $20,692 | 60% | $60,701 |
| 12 | Hampden-Sydney College Hampden-Sydney, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $22,400 | $54,550 | $13,422 | 64% | $71,699 |
| 13 | Averett University Danville, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $22,925 | $38,550 | $23,064 | 46% | $59,911 |
| 14 | Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $23,781 | $68,045 | — | 94% | $100,514 |
| 15 | Roanoke College Salem, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $24,503 | $38,068 | $15,204 | 67% | $56,840 |
| 16 | Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $24,588 | $43,920 | $22,994 | 57% | $60,150 |
| 17 | Hampton University Hampton, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $25,319 | $30,592 | $32,101 | 56% | $61,865 |
| 18 | Bluefield University Bluefield, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $25,573 | $26,770 | $25,807 | 22% | $53,206 |
| 19 | Randolph-Macon College Ashland, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $27,866 | $49,466 | $16,601 | 72% | $61,824 |
| 20 | Marymount University Arlington, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $29,137 | $40,920 | $27,413 | 56% | $74,242 |
| 21 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $29,357 | $22,465 | $30,667 | 64% | $57,700 |
| 22 | Shenandoah University Winchester, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $30,298 | $36,950 | $24,356 | 69% | $65,784 |
| 23 | University of Richmond University of Richmond, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $31,309 | $65,230 | $12,808 | 86% | $84,260 |
How to compare these colleges
Do not rule out a private college because of its sticker price. Private colleges often discount heavily, and the net price shown here is what students who receive aid pay on average, including housing and books. Your own offer depends on your family income and the school's aid policy, so run each college's net price calculator and compare actual award letters.
Guides worth reading first
More lists for Virginia
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Best value colleges in Virginia
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Same list in nearby states
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All 60 colleges in Virginia See the national version of this ranking