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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Economics (Income $30-$48k) in Virginia

20 Ranked Colleges
1,278 Degrees Awarded
$14,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor's in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Economics is the 18th most popular major in the country with 48,831 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, economics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $47,295 and had an average of $21,978 in loans still to pay off.

Across Virginia, there were 1,392 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $47,150 and $23,646 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,278 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 20 colleges that offer a degree in economics. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality economics programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the economics program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Economics Schools

The economics school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 20 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Economics (Income $30-$48k) in Virginia

#1

Washington and Lee University

Lexington, Virginia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Washington and Lee University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Lexington, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 56 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

Washington and Lee did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. It costs about $2,039 for virginia bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Washington and Lee University.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at Washington and Lee University

#2

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Virginia - Main Campus is a public institution located in Charlottesville, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 511 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Virginia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia is $11,696 for virginia bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full University of Virginia Economics Report

#3

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend William & Mary. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k list. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school situated in Williamsburg, Virginia. It awarded 142 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $30-$48k list, William & Mary has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. It costs about $4,963 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend William & Mary.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at William & Mary

#4

University of Richmond

University of Richmond, Virginia

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Richmond landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Richmond is a small school located in University of Richmond, Virginia that handed out 42 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

URichmond did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. It costs about $9,131 for virginia bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend URichmond.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at URichmond

#5

Virginia Military Institute

Lexington, Virginia

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Virginia Military Institute landed the #5 spot on the list. Virginia Military Institute is a small public school situated in Lexington, Virginia. It awarded 50 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

VMI also made our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for VMI is $6,604 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at VMI

#6

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Blacksburg, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 116 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $30-$48k list, Virginia Tech has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Tech is $14,010 for virginia bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read more about Economics at Virginia Tech

#7

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. James Madison University is a large school located in Harrisonburg, Virginia that handed out 61 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

JMU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The estimated yearly cost for James Madison University is $15,726 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at JMU

#8

Emory and Henry College

Emory, Virginia
#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Emory and Henry College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Emory, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

Emory & Henry College also made our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend Emory & Henry College is $14,583 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Economics at Emory and Henry College

#9

George Mason University

Fairfax, Virginia

George Mason University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. George Mason University is a public institution located in Fairfax, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 132 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $30-$48k list, GMU has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The yearly cost to attend GMU is $17,060 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full GMU Economics Report

#10

Christopher Newport University

Newport News, Virginia

Christopher Newport University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k list. CNU is a small school located in Newport News, Virginia that handed out 35 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

CNU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The yearly cost to attend Christopher Newport University is $17,522 for virginia bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at CNU

#11

Radford University

Radford, Virginia

Radford University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Radford, Virginia, this fairly large public school handed out 20 degrees to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

Radford also made our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #19. It costs about $12,355 for virginia bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Radford.

Read full report on Economics at Radford University

#12

Longwood University

Farmville, Virginia
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Longwood University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Farmville, Virginia, this small public school handed out 4 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

Longwood did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The yearly cost to attend Longwood University is $14,433 for virginia bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Economics at Longwood University

#13

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, Virginia
#18 in overall quality

Old Dominion University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k list. Old Dominion University is located in Norfolk, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $30-$48k list, Old Dominion has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Old Dominion University is $13,747 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Economics at Old Dominion

#14

University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg, Virginia

University of Mary Washington came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, this small public school awarded 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

UMW did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMW is $14,997 for virginia bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at UMW

#15

Bridgewater College

Bridgewater, Virginia
#13 in overall quality

Bridgewater College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k list. Bridgewater is a small school located in Bridgewater, Virginia that handed out 8 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $30-$48k list, Bridgewater has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bridgewater College is $14,634 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Economics at Bridgewater

#16

Randolph - Macon College

Ashland, Virginia

Randolph - Macon College landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Randolph - Macon is located in Ashland, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Randolph - Macon did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The yearly cost to attend Randolph - Macon is $20,105 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Randolph - Macon College

#17

Roanoke College

Salem, Virginia
#10 in overall quality

Roanoke College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Roanoke College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Salem, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Roanoke also made our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #10. The estimated yearly cost for Roanoke College is $19,874 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Roanoke College

#18

University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg, Virginia
#20 in overall quality

University of Lynchburg came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Lynchburg is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lynchburg, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lynchburg, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lynchburg is $21,307 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Economics at Lynchburg

#19

Marymount University

Arlington, Virginia
#15 in overall quality

Marymount University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Marymount is a small school located in Arlington, Virginia that handed out 10 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Marymount not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. It costs about $22,618 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Marymount University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at Marymount

#20

Hampden - Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney, Virginia

Hampden - Sydney College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Hampden-Sydney, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

Hampden - Sydney not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The yearly cost to attend Hampden - Sydney is $25,858 for virginia bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Hampden - Sydney Economics Report

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to pixabay.

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