Best colleges for biology in Virginia
University of Virginia ranks first in Virginia for biology value (#14 nationally, value score 81.2): graduates earn $70,240 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $18,056 a year.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 20 Virginia colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026
Best biology colleges in Virginia
University of Virginia ranks first in Virginia for biology value (#14 nationally, value score 81.2): graduates earn $70,240 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $18,056 a year. 20 Virginia colleges qualify. At the median one, biology graduates earn $60,262 and the average net price is $24,429 a year.
Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025
What the data shows
Key findings
- 20 Virginia colleges qualify. At the median one, biology graduates earn $60,262 and the average net price is $24,429 a year.
- The highest biology earnings in the state are at Virginia Military Institute ($71,547), ranked #2 in the state once cost, debt and graduation rate count.
- The lowest average net price among them is at Old Dominion University: $12,913 a year.
- Median earnings
- $60,262
- National: $58,001
- Median net price
- $24,429
- National: $18,049
- Median federal debt
- $20,750
- biology graduates
- Public colleges
- 12 of 20
- in this list
20 colleges
The Virginia ranking
Ordered by the national value score; the national rank is shown with each college. Earnings are medians 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
- Earnings
- $70,240
- Net price
- $18,056
- Federal debt
- $15,000
- Graduation rate
- 94%
- Earnings
- $71,547
- Net price
- $15,585
- Federal debt
- $25,379
- Graduation rate
- 72%
- Earnings
- $64,301
- Net price
- $14,697
- Federal debt
- $20,500
- Graduation rate
- 66%
- Rank in Virginia 4
University of Richmond, VA · Private nonprofit · #147 nationally
66.1Value- Earnings
- $69,564
- Net price
- $34,256
- Federal debt
- $21,000
- Graduation rate
- 87%
- Earnings
- $62,914
- Net price
- $23,550
- Federal debt
- $18,500
- Graduation rate
- 80%
- Rank in Virginia 6
Winchester, VA · Private nonprofit · #231 nationally
58.9Value- Earnings
- $66,070
- Net price
- $31,149
- Federal debt
- $19,500
- Graduation rate
- 63%
- Rank in Virginia 7
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA · Public · #237 nationally
58.8Value- Earnings
- $61,703
- Net price
- $25,808
- Federal debt
- $20,500
- Graduation rate
- 86%
- Rank in Virginia 8
Fredericksburg, VA · Public · #265 nationally
56.8Value- Earnings
- $61,864
- Net price
- $23,821
- Federal debt
- $19,500
- Graduation rate
- 65%
- Earnings
- $66,460
- Net price
- $28,521
- Federal debt
- $21,500
- Graduation rate
- 55%
- Earnings
- $58,420
- Net price
- $25,037
- Federal debt
- $19,500
- Graduation rate
- 65%
- Rank in Virginia 11
Christopher Newport University
Newport News, VA · Public · #386 nationally
47.1Value- Earnings
- $55,657
- Net price
- $22,310
- Federal debt
- $19,500
- Graduation rate
- 75%
- Rank in Virginia 12
Lynchburg, VA · Private nonprofit · #427 nationally
43.2Value- Earnings
- $62,164
- Net price
- $27,198
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Graduation rate
- 59%
- Earnings
- $49,644
- Net price
- $18,880
- Federal debt
- $17,250
- Graduation rate
- 88%
- Earnings
- $55,304
- Net price
- $12,913
- Federal debt
- $22,750
- Graduation rate
- 43%
- Rank in Virginia 15
Randolph-Macon College-Virginia
Ashland, VA · Private nonprofit · #453 nationally
41.4Value- Earnings
- $58,821
- Net price
- $28,145
- Federal debt
- $26,899
- Graduation rate
- 74%
- Earnings
- $51,266
- Net price
- $13,701
- Federal debt
- $20,500
- Graduation rate
- 48%
- Earnings
- $53,398
- Net price
- $14,893
- Federal debt
- $21,875
- Graduation rate
- 37%
- Earnings
- $55,246
- Net price
- $25,867
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Graduation rate
- 64%
- Earnings
- $50,666
- Net price
- $29,235
- Federal debt
- $23,010
- Graduation rate
- 64%
- Earnings
- $49,539
- Net price
- $26,214
- Federal debt
- $24,406
- Graduation rate
- 64%
Method: the same value score as the national biology ranking (earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate, each a national percentile). Data: College Scorecard, reporting year 2025; 2026–27 edition, verified Nov 2026.
Questions about biology colleges in Virginia
What are the best colleges for biology in Virginia?
By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 Virginia colleges for biology are University of Virginia (value score 81.2), Virginia Military Institute (value score 73.7) and George Mason University (value score 70.1). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.
Which Virginia college has the highest earnings for biology graduates?
Virginia Military Institute: its biology graduates have median earnings of $71,547 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
What is the most affordable biology college in Virginia on this list?
Old Dominion University has the lowest average net price of the ranked Virginia colleges, $12,913 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.
How many Virginia colleges are ranked for biology?
20 Virginia colleges have a biology bachelor's program with enough graduates and reported earnings, plus a published net price and graduation rate. Ranks shown are national; the state rank is their order within Virginia.