Best Online Colleges in Virginia

Benefits of Studying Online in Virginia

Virginia, the 12th largest state by population and the 35th by area, is known as much for its history and iconic landmarks as it is for its robust workforce and intense educational institutions. The Old Dominion has a population of more than 8.6 million, and is home to the nation's capitol - Washington DC. Furthermore, it also has the nation's longest-standing state capitol building (The Capitol of Virginia) and the world's most traveled bridge (Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel). Virginia Beach, the state’s largest city, is also the 40th largest urban area in the US, giving students plenty of options when it comes to entertainment.

Employment Stats

Virginia is the nation's 12th largest employer, accounting for a total of 4.1 million nonfarm employees in October 2022, up 127.6K from 2021's count of 3.975 million. This 3.21% y/y growth rate makes The Old Dominion the 22nd fastest-growing state from the standpoint of jobs added over the course of the year. However, while the growth rate looks impressive, Virgina still falls nearly 77% short of California - the nation's employer leader (noticeably, the state accounts for just 2.6% of the nation’s population).

Although Virginia outranked Massachusetts (392,000 more according to the BLS) and lagged closely behind New Jersey (just 146,000 less than NJ's total employed), it far surpasses the median state with a total difference of 2.124 million, accounting for a 107% differential. All in all, Virginia appears to be an attractive place for students to study, as the state offers great job opportunities (due to its size) and an overall solid economic landscape (with higher-than-average wages).

Job Opportunities

As far as job type quantity, Virginia boasts 771 unique positions, which it performs 6.8% above the national median of 722. This puts Virginia in the 8th spot, offering 63 more unique job types than the national median. This could be especially useful for those seeking to pursue a profession that’s slightly more unique in nature, since Virginia may just offer it.

Virginia holds some of the most prestigious universities in the nation, such as the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech and William and Mary, all of which have their own unique offerings. Students interested in business may want to consider the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, while there are of course a number of other highly rated programs such as the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech. Finally, the state is home to numerous Fortune 500 companies, including CarMax, Dominion Energy and Altria.

*All data sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2023)