Tuition trends by school type and level for Virginia colleges
There are 82 four-year colleges and universities in Virginia—16 public institutions and 66 private institutions. This page summarizes average tuition & fees and how costs have changed over time based on the latest available IPEDS data.
Undergraduate Tuition Trends
Public colleges: In 2025, average in-state tuition & fees are $15,702, while out-of-state tuition & fees are $35,461. Year-over-year, in-state costs changed by 2.88% and out-of-state costs changed by 0.70%. Since 2015, cumulative growth is 42.79% (in-state) and 28.71% (out-of-state).
Private colleges: The average tuition & fees are $23,406 in 2025. That is a -0.57% change from last year and 2.83% cumulative growth since 2015.
Graduate Tuition Trends
Public graduate schools: In 2025, average in-state graduate tuition & fees are $15,271, while out-of-state graduate tuition & fees are $28,525. Year-over-year, in-state costs changed by -1.69% and out-of-state costs changed by -2.25%. Since 2015, cumulative growth is 28.75% (in-state) and 21.34% (out-of-state).
Private graduate schools: The average graduate tuition & fees are $16,079 in 2025. That is a 1.66% change from last year and 9.98% cumulative growth since 2015.
Public vs. private comparison (increase rates): In 2025, private undergraduate tuition changed by -0.57% year-over-year. Public undergraduate in-state changed by 2.88% (higher by 3.45 percentage points vs. private), and public out-of-state changed by 0.70% (higher by 1.28 percentage points vs. private). Over the full period since 2015, private undergraduate tuition grew by 2.83%, compared with public in-state 42.79% (higher by 39.97 percentage points vs. private) and public out-of-state 28.71% (higher by 25.89 percentage points vs. private).
Graduate comparison: In 2025, private graduate tuition changed by 1.66% year-over-year. Public graduate in-state changed by -1.69% (lower by 3.35 percentage points vs. private), and public graduate out-of-state changed by -2.25% (lower by 3.92 percentage points vs. private). Since 2015, private graduate tuition grew by 9.98%, compared with public graduate in-state 28.75% (higher by 18.77 percentage points vs. private) and public graduate out-of-state 21.34% (higher by 11.36 percentage points vs. private).
COA Trends
Undergraduate cost of attendance change by school type (tuition & fees + room & board): In 2025, estimated on-campus COA is $32,930 (public in-state), $52,689 (public out-of-state), and $40,635 (private). Year-over-year, on-campus COA changed by 4.10%, 2.14%, and 1.81%, respectively. Since 2015, cumulative on-campus COA growth is 39.87% (public in-state), 31.40% (public out-of-state), and 15.08% (private).
Off-campus COA: In 2025, estimated off-campus COA is $31,587 (public in-state), $51,346 (public out-of-state), and $39,291 (private). Year-over-year, off-campus COA changed by 5.38%, 2.84%, and 2.71%. Since 2015, cumulative off-campus COA growth is 36.79% (public in-state), 29.51% (public out-of-state), and 12.71% (private).
Tuition & Fees Trends of Virginia Colleges from 2015 to 2025
The tables and charts below show how average college tuition and fees have changed in Virginia from 2015 through 2025.
All figures are based on the latest available IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) data published by the U.S. Department of Education. To keep the comparisons consistent, these averages reflect 4-year colleges and universities in Virginia and exclude most community colleges and trade schools due to differences in reporting and availability.
| 2015-2016 | 2016-2017 | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State Costs | $11,552 | $12,168 | $12,715 | $13,441 | $13,720 | $13,971 | $14,221 | $14,689 | $15,262 | $15,702 |
| Year-to-Year Rates | 5.05% | 5.34% | 4.49% | 5.72% | 2.07% | 1.83% | 1.79% | 3.29% | 3.90% | 2.88% |
| Cumulative Rates | 5.05% | 10.66% | 15.63% | 22.24% | 24.78% | 27.06% | 29.33% | 33.59% | 38.80% | 42.79% |
| Out-of-State Costs | $28,394 | $29,542 | $30,617 | $31,968 | $32,651 | $33,100 | $33,136 | $34,039 | $35,213 | $35,461 |
| Year-to-Year Rates | 3.06% | 4.04% | 3.64% | 4.41% | 2.14% | 1.38% | 0.11% | 2.72% | 3.45% | 0.70% |
| Cumulative Rates | 3.06% | 7.23% | 11.13% | 16.04% | 18.51% | 20.14% | 20.28% | 23.55% | 27.81% | 28.71% |
| 2015-2016 | 2016-2017 | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Fees | $23,131 | $23,670 | $24,304 | $22,155 | $25,359 | $22,622 | $22,941 | $23,285 | $23,541 | $23,406 |
| Year-to-Year Rates | 1.62% | 2.33% | 2.68% | -8.84% | 14.46% | -10.79% | 1.41% | 1.50% | 1.10% | -0.57% |
| Cumulative Rates | 1.62% | 3.98% | 6.77% | -2.67% | 11.41% | -0.62% | 0.78% | 2.29% | 3.42% | 2.83% |
| 2015-2016 | 2016-2017 | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State Costs | $12,299 | $12,917 | $13,231 | $13,695 | $14,191 | $14,311 | $14,613 | $15,005 | $15,534 | $15,271 |
| Year-to-Year Rates | 3.69% | 5.02% | 2.43% | 3.51% | 3.63% | 0.84% | 2.11% | 2.68% | 3.53% | -1.69% |
| Cumulative Rates | 3.69% | 8.89% | 11.54% | 15.46% | 19.64% | 20.65% | 23.20% | 26.50% | 30.96% | 28.75% |
| Out-of-State Costs | $24,310 | $25,087 | $25,721 | $26,504 | $27,300 | $27,461 | $27,804 | $28,181 | $29,183 | $28,525 |
| Year-to-Year Rates | 3.41% | 3.19% | 2.53% | 3.04% | 3.00% | 0.59% | 1.25% | 1.35% | 3.56% | -2.25% |
| Cumulative Rates | 3.41% | 6.71% | 9.41% | 12.74% | 16.13% | 16.81% | 18.27% | 19.87% | 24.13% | 21.34% |
| 2015-2016 | 2016-2017 | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Fees | $14,682 | $14,395 | $13,131 | $13,638 | $13,480 | $13,938 | $14,281 | $14,896 | $15,816 | $16,079 |
| Year-to-Year Rates | 0.43% | -1.96% | -8.78% | 3.86% | -1.16% | 3.40% | 2.46% | 4.31% | 6.17% | 1.66% |
| Cumulative Rates | 0.43% | -1.54% | -10.18% | -6.72% | -7.80% | -4.66% | -2.32% | 1.89% | 8.18% | 9.98% |