Best Engineering Colleges in Virginia (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 9 Engineering programs in Virginia by median earnings of Engineering graduates four years after completing. University of Virginia-Main Campus leads the list with median earnings of $111,451 four years after completing.
Across the 8 schools with a published figure, the median stands at $93,589, with a spread of $46,958 from $111,451 to $64,493. For 1 of the 9 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
89% of the listed schools are public, with 8 public and 1 private nonprofit institution. Old Dominion University reports the lowest average net price at $14,638.
George Mason University ranks 33rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Engineering Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Virginia-Main Campus · Charlottesville, VA | $111,451 | $21,565 | $8,174 | 16.8% |
| University of Virginia-Main Campus reports $111,451 in median earnings for its Engineering graduates four years after completing, and admits 17% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Biomedical/Medical Engineering (127 graduates), Mechanical Engineering (88 graduates), Systems Engineering (81 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Engineering ($148,175), Systems Engineering ($144,830), Biomedical/Medical Engineering ($109,551) | |||||
| 2 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University · Blacksburg, VA | $103,226 | $24,953 | $11,689 | 54.8% |
| With an 86% six-year completion rate, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ranks 2nd on this list and posts median earnings of $103,226 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (319 graduates), Civil Engineering (204 graduates), Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering (198 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Engineering ($122,026), Industrial Engineering ($116,641), Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering ($106,633) | |||||
| 3 | George Mason University · Fairfax, VA | $100,082 | $17,915 | $11,942 | 87.5% |
| George Mason University carries an average net price of $17,915 and ranks 33rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Civil Engineering (93 graduates), Mechanical Engineering (75 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (62 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Engineering ($117,942), Systems Engineering ($114,815), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($103,074) | |||||
| 4 | Virginia Commonwealth University · Richmond, VA | $95,417 | $23,433 | $17,512 | 92.6% |
| Virginia Commonwealth University admits 93% of applicants and reports median earnings of $95,417 for its Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (86 graduates), Biomedical/Medical Engineering (54 graduates), Chemical Engineering (52 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($107,487), Chemical Engineering ($97,781), Mechanical Engineering ($88,410) | |||||
| 5 | James Madison University · Harrisonburg, VA | $91,761 | $23,322 | $11,444 | 71.5% |
| James Madison University shows a six-year completion rate of 80% and an average net price of $11,444 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering, General (67 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Engineering, General ($91,761) | |||||
| 6 | Old Dominion University · Norfolk, VA | $88,900 | $14,638 | $9,739 | 90.4% |
| Old Dominion University posts the lowest average net price on the page at $14,638 and reports a 46% six-year completion rate. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (114 graduates), Civil Engineering (50 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (44 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($96,427), Computer Engineering ($94,542), Mechanical Engineering ($87,772) | |||||
| 7 | Liberty University · Lynchburg, VA | No published median | $29,357 | $30,667 | 99.0% |
| Liberty University, a private nonprofit university in Lynchburg, admits 99% of applicants and ranks 79th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (56 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (17 graduates), Computer Engineering (8 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($89,244) | |||||
| 8 | Virginia Military Institute · Lexington, VA | $76,963 | $17,113 | $12,697 | 71.3% |
| Virginia Military Institute reports median earnings of $76,963 for its Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $17,113. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Civil Engineering (57 graduates), Mechanical Engineering (30 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (17 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Civil Engineering ($76,991), Mechanical Engineering ($76,909) | |||||
| 9 | Christopher Newport University · Newport News, VA | $64,493 | $23,015 | $12,461 | 86.0% |
| Christopher Newport University reports median earnings of $64,493 for its Engineering graduates two years after completing, and a 72% six-year completion rate. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Engineering (11 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (11 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Engineering earnings cohort in Virginia appear. The figure is the median for federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 1 of the 9 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 range and median below cover the 8 schools with a published figure. University of Virginia-Main Campus leads Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University by $8,225, and the spread from top to bottom is $46,958.
Job market context in Virginia
Engineering graduates in Virginia enter a labor market that links to occupations such as Civil Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, and Industrial Engineers. The median annual wage across those occupations is $126,158, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $99,307. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 15.0% higher, with 12,360 projected openings a year, or about 380 openings a year for every hundred graduates, meaning more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses the median earnings of graduates four years after completing, which is a different measure from the occupational wage figures described here.