2027 Best Value General Engineering Schools in Virginia
[General Engineering](/majors/engineering/general-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general engineering education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 14 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value general engineering schools.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value General Engineering Schools in Virginia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Engineering Schools
Leading the list is John Tyler Community College, our #1 best value for general engineering in Virginia. Set in the suburb of Chester, John Tyler Community College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,082, while out-of-state students pay about $11,520. Students borrow a median of $11,262 to complete the general engineering program here. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $36,623. Set against $11,262 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Virginia Western Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Roanoke, Virginia Western Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,400 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $11,838. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $13,715. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $36,245. That is a strong return on a $13,715 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in general engineering will find it at J Sargeant Reynolds Community College, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of Richmond, J Sargeant Reynolds Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,280, while out-of-state students pay about $11,718. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $10,500 in student loans. General Engineering graduates of J Sargeant Reynolds Community College earn a median of $36,965 early in their careers. Set against $10,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Germanna Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the rural area of Locust Grove, Germanna Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,257, compared with $11,648 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $10,999. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $41,880. Set against $10,999 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in general engineering will find it at Piedmont Virginia Community College, which ranked #5. Located in the suburb of Charlottesville, Piedmont Virginia Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,072, with out-of-state students paying around $11,510. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $12,495. General Engineering graduates of Piedmont Virginia Community College earn a median of $46,129 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Lord Fairfax Community College placed #6 among the best values for general engineering. Located in the rural area of Middletown, Lord Fairfax Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,072 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $11,510. Students borrow a median of $10,698 to complete the general engineering program here. General Engineering graduates of Lord Fairfax Community College earn a median of $37,531 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,698 median debt.
Northern Virginia Community College landed the #7 spot for general engineering value this year. Northern Virginia Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Annandale. Students from in state pay about $5,891 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $12,410. Students borrow a median of $9,500 to complete the general engineering program here. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $16,790. That is a strong return on a $9,500 median debt.
Thomas Nelson Community College earned the #8 position for value in general engineering this year. Located in the suburb of Hampton, Thomas Nelson Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,088 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $11,526. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $14,402 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Thomas Nelson Community College generally make around $36,758. Set against $14,402 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Tidewater Community College ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value general engineering schools. Located in the city of Norfolk, Tidewater Community College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $5,858 in tuition and fees, compared with $12,296 for out-of-state students. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $12,250 in student loans. General Engineering graduates of Tidewater Community College earn a median of $68,555 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Old Dominion University placed #10 among the best values for general engineering. Located in the city of Norfolk, Old Dominion University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,750, compared with $33,780 for out-of-state students. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,001 in student loans. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $88,224. Set against $26,001 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
James Madison University earned the #11 position for value in general engineering this year. Located in the city of Harrisonburg, James Madison University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,966, compared with $31,312 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the general engineering program here. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $71,176. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Washington And Lee University ranked #12 on our 2027 list of the best value general engineering schools. Set in the town of Lexington, Washington And Lee University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $68,045 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $20,074. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $76,810. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 14% of applicants are accepted.
Eastern Mennonite University landed the #13 spot for general engineering value this year. Located in the city of Harrisonburg, Eastern Mennonite University is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $43,920. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,415 in student loans. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $55,325. Set against $25,415 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Eastern Mennonite University admits about 100% of applicants.
Randolph Macon College landed the #14 spot for general engineering value this year. Located in the suburb of Ashland, Randolph Macon College is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $49,466 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $26,432. General Engineering graduates of Randolph Macon College earn a median of $40,317 early in their careers. Set against $26,432 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 87%.
More General Engineering Rankings
View All General Engineering Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 14 ranked schools only.
- 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.
