2026 Best Journalism Schools in Virginia
Journalism degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for journalism students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Journalism in Virginia
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the journalism degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Journalism
Leading the list is Washington And Lee University, our #1 school for journalism. Set in the town of Lexington, Washington And Lee University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 94% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 13 journalism degrees were awarded at Washington And Lee University in the most recent year. Journalism graduates of Washington And Lee University earn a median of $76,810 early in their careers. Washington And Lee University graduates carry a median of $20,074 in student loans.
Get the full journalism details for Washington And Lee University
Students looking for a strong journalism program will find one at Radford University, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Radford, Radford University is a moderately-sized public university. The six-year graduation rate is 49%. Radford University awarded about 26 journalism degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their journalism degree from Radford University earn around $25,675 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $26,135.
Get the full journalism details for Radford University
Hampton University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in journalism, ranking #3. Hampton University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Hampton. Hampton University graduates 57% of students within six years. Hampton University awarded about 16 journalism degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their journalism degree from Hampton University earn around $28,324 in the first couple years of their career. Hampton University graduates carry a median of $26,250 in student loans.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 8 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
