Best Accounting Colleges in Virginia (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Business Colleges in Virginia
This page ranks the 16 colleges in Virginia that report an Accounting earnings cohort, ordered by the median earnings of Accounting graduates four years after completing, highest first. Washington and Lee University leads the list, though its earnings figure is not among the two that are publicly citable.
Across the 15 schools with a reported completion median, median earnings after completing range from $118,946 to $32,925, with a median of $73,157. For 3 of the 16 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list splits between 7 public and 9 private nonprofit institutions, a 44% public share. Washington and Lee University posts the highest six-year completion rate on the page at 94%, while George Mason University ranks 33rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally. Virginia Union University carries the lowest average net price at $13,235.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Accounting Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington and Lee University · Lexington, VA | $118,946 | $23,781 | -$1,777* | 14.0% |
| Washington and Lee University admits 14% of applicants and posts a six-year completion rate of 94%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (94 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (37 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Business Administration, Management and Operations ($121,699), Accounting and Related Services ($118,946) | |||||
| 2 | University of Richmond · University Of Richmond, VA | $112,202 | $31,309 | $12,808 | 22.2% |
| University of Richmond, a private nonprofit university in University Of Richmond, reports an average net price of $31,309. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (223 graduates), Human Resources Management and Services (80 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (34 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Accounting and Related Services ($112,202), Business Administration, Management and Operations ($103,856), Human Resources Management and Services ($92,389) | |||||
| 3 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University · Blacksburg, VA | $99,528 | $24,953 | $11,689 | 54.8% |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ranks 112th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and graduates 86% of its students within six years. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (444 graduates), Finance and Financial Management Services (294 graduates), Marketing (211 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods ($108,726), Finance and Financial Management Services ($102,902), Accounting and Related Services ($99,528) | |||||
| 4 | James Madison University · Harrisonburg, VA | $98,767 | $23,322 | $11,444 | 71.5% |
| James Madison University has an admission rate of 72% and an average net price of $23,322. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Marketing (189 graduates), Finance and Financial Management Services (140 graduates), Business Administration, Management and Operations (129 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Finance and Financial Management Services ($104,926), Accounting and Related Services ($98,767), Marketing ($89,944) | |||||
| 5 | George Mason University · Fairfax, VA | $91,132 | $17,915 | $11,942 | 87.5% |
| George Mason University ranks 33rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an average net price of $17,915. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (371 graduates), Business/Commerce, General (245 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (182 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods ($97,049), Accounting and Related Services ($91,132), Finance and Financial Management Services ($88,080) | |||||
| 6 | Radford University · Radford, VA | $78,780 | $14,578 | $8,965 | 89.5% |
| Radford University posts a six-year completion rate of 49% and an average net price of $8,965 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (109 graduates), Marketing (69 graduates), Finance and Financial Management Services (29 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Accounting and Related Services ($78,780), Finance and Financial Management Services ($72,364), Business Administration, Management and Operations ($67,246) | |||||
| 7 | Virginia Commonwealth University · Richmond, VA | $78,631 | $23,433 | $17,512 | 92.6% |
| Virginia Commonwealth University admits 93% of applicants and ranks 171st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business/Commerce, General (239 graduates), Marketing (122 graduates), Finance and Financial Management Services (79 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Accounting and Related Services ($78,631), Marketing ($68,622), Business/Commerce, General ($68,387) | |||||
| 8 | Old Dominion University · Norfolk, VA | $73,157 | $14,638 | $9,739 | 90.4% |
| Old Dominion University reports an average net price of $9,739 for families earning under $30,000 and a six-year completion rate of 46%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (147 graduates), Management Information Systems and Services (107 graduates), Marketing (83 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Management Information Systems and Services ($74,465), Accounting and Related Services ($73,157), Finance and Financial Management Services ($67,320) | |||||
| 9 | Virginia State University · Petersburg, VA | $72,375 | $15,840 | $13,220 | 88.6% |
| Virginia State University has an admission rate of 89% and an average net price of $15,840. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (52 graduates), Marketing (23 graduates), Management Information Systems and Services (16 graduates) | |||||
| 10 | Averett University · Danville, VA | $64,192 | $22,925 | $23,064 | 56.6% |
| Averett University ranks 965th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and graduates 48% of its students within six years. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (41 graduates), Marketing (15 graduates), Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (12 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Business Administration, Management and Operations ($72,810) | |||||
| 11 | Liberty University · Lynchburg, VA | $63,307 | $29,357 | $30,667 | 99.0% |
| Liberty University admits 99% of applicants and reports an average net price of $29,357. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (1,603 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (200 graduates), Management Information Systems and Services (82 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Management Information Systems and Services ($84,228), Business Administration, Management and Operations ($67,269), Accounting and Related Services ($63,307) | |||||
| 12 | Ferrum College · Ferrum, VA | $60,070 | $20,082 | $16,940 | 89.0% |
| Ferrum College reports median earnings of $60,070 for its Accounting graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Accounting and Related Services (8 graduates), Finance and Financial Management Services (6 graduates) | |||||
| 13 | Regent University · Virginia Beach, VA | $54,517 | $19,923 | $20,064 | 38.1% |
| Regent University, a private nonprofit university in Virginia Beach, ranks 13th on this list and admits 38% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (57 graduates), Human Resources Management and Services (19 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (10 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Human Resources Management and Services ($61,752), Business Administration, Management and Operations ($59,087) | |||||
| 14 | Randolph-Macon College · Ashland, VA | $47,260 | $27,866 | $16,601 | 86.6% |
| Randolph-Macon College reports median earnings of $47,260 for its Accounting graduates two years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 70%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business/Commerce, General (63 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (10 graduates) | |||||
| 15 | Hampton University · Hampton, VA | $40,485 | $25,319 | $32,101 | 62.3% |
| Hampton University carries an average net price of $32,101 for families earning under $30,000 and ranks 1119th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (73 graduates), Marketing (28 graduates), Finance and Financial Management Services (11 graduates) | |||||
| 16 | Virginia Union University · Richmond, VA | $32,925 | $13,235 | $11,424 | 98.0% |
| Virginia Union University posts the lowest average net price on the page at $13,235 and graduates 34% of its students within six years. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Business Administration, Management and Operations (12 graduates), Accounting and Related Services (6 graduates), General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations (6 graduates) | |||||
* Net price can be negative: when grants and scholarships exceed the listed cost of attendance, students can receive the difference as a refund for other expenses.
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Accounting graduates four years after completing, or two years for programs that report only a two-year figure, highest first. The figures reflect federally aided Accounting completers who were working and not enrolled, measured after completing. For 3 of the 16 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The figures cited on this page cover the 15 schools with a reported completion median. The spread from Washington and Lee University to the bottom of the list is $86,021.
Related rankings
- Best Colleges in Virginia
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- Best Business Colleges in Illinois
- Accounting Colleges in Virginia for Social Mobility