Overview of Colleges and Universities in Virginia
Higher Education Articles January 3, 2013There are several colleges and universities in Virginia for students to consider attending. In this article, we will take a detailed look at student demographics, enrollments and tuition costs at some of the leading educational institutions in the state of Virginia.
This is the largest university in the state of Virginia. The university campus is situated in Fairfax, a city in the northern part of the state. Established in 1957, the university was an essential component of the University of Virginia school system, until 1972 when it broke off. There are many schools and colleges in the university including the School of Law, College of Education and Human Development, School of Computational Sciences, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, among others.
Student Tuition and Demographics
| Student Population | Amount of Students |
| Total School enrollment: | 29,728 |
| Enrollment for Undergraduate: | 18,091 |
| Undergraduate Enrollment Statistics | Population Percentage |
| Women | 52.00% |
| Men | 48.00% |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native: | 0.40% |
| Asian or Pacific Islander | 16.60% |
| Black non-Hispanic | 7.70% |
| Hispanic | 7.70% |
| Non-resident alien | 3.50% |
| White non-Hispanic | 50.20% |
| Race-ethnicity unknown | 13.90% |
| Tuition and Fees | 2012 – 2013 |
| In-state | $9,420 |
| Out-of-state | $27,564 |
Fairfax, VA Demographics
| Population Statistics | Population Percentage |
| Total Population | 21,498 |
| Male | 48.80% |
| Female | 51.20% |
| Under 18 | 20.50% |
| Over 18 | 79.50% |
| Over 65 | 12.80% |
| Ethnicity Statistics | Population Percentage |
| African-American | 5.10% |
| American Indian & Alaskan | 0.30% |
| Asian | 12.20% |
| Hispanic | 14.00% |
| Mixed Race | 3.30% |
| White | 72.90% |
| Other | 6.00% |
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
Since 1838, the university has established itself as one of the state’s premier educational institutions. Located in Virginia’s capital city of Richmond, VCU hosts the nation’s largest French film festival. There are several schools and colleges in the university including the School of Social Work, School of Pharmacy, School of Mass Communications, College of Humanities and Social Sciences and School of Allied Health Professions, among others.
Student Tuition and Demographics
| Student Population | Amount of Students |
| Total School Enrollment: | 29,168 |
| Enrollment for Undergraduate: | 20,327 |
| Undergraduate Enrollment Statistics | Population Percentage |
| Men | 40.60% |
| Women | 59.40% |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 0.60% |
| Asian or Pacific Islander | 9.00% |
| Black non-Hispanic | 20.20% |
| Hispanic | 3.20% |
| Non-resident alien | 2.50% |
| Race-ethnicity unknown | 13.90% |
| White non-Hispanic | 64.60% |
| Tuition and Fees | 2012 – 2013 |
| In-state | $9,885 |
| Out-of-state | $23,912 |
Richmond, VA Demographics
| Population Statistics | Population Percentage |
| Total Population | 197,790 |
| Male | 46.50% |
| Female | 53.50% |
| Under 18 | 21.80% |
| Over 18 | 78.20% |
| Over 65 | 13.20% |
| Ethnicity Statistics | Population Percentage |
| African-American | 57.20% |
| American Indian & Alaskan | 0.20% |
| Asian | 1.20% |
| Hispanic | 3.00% |
| Mixed Race | 1.50% |
| White | 38.30% |
| Other | 2.00% |
Virginia Polytechnic Institute (V-Tech)
Popularly known as Virginia Tech, this university began in 1872, and rated among the best university in the state. Located in the rural backdrop of Blacksburg, in the state’s western central region, Virginia Tech has seven independent colleges and universities including Pamplin College of Business, College of Science, College of Natural Resources and the College of Engineering, among others.
Student Tuition and Demographics
| Student Population | Amount of Students |
| Total School Enrollment: | 27,979 |
| Enrollment for Undergraduate: | 21,627 |
| Undergraduate Enrollment Statistics | Population Percentage |
| Men | 58.80% |
| Women | 41.20% |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 0.20% |
| Asian or Pacific Islander | 7.00% |
| Black non-Hispanic | 5.00% |
| Hispanic | 2.20% |
| Non-resident alien | 2.40% |
| Race-ethnicity unknown | 8.90% |
| White non-Hispanic | 74.30% |
| Tuition and Fees | 2012 – 2013 |
| In-state | $9,187 |
| Out-of-state | $23,575 |
Blacksburg, VA Demographics
| Population Statistics | Population Percentage |
| Total Population | 39,573 |
| Male | 55.90% |
| Female | 44.10% |
| Under 18 | 9.70% |
| Over 18 | 90.30% |
| Over 65 | 4.90% |
| Ethnicity Statistics | Population Percentage |
| African-American | 4.40% |
| American Indian & Alaskan | 0.10% |
| Asian | 7.80% |
| Hispanic | 2.00% |
| Mixed Race | 2.40% |
| White | 84.40% |
| Other | 1.00% |
The University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville, in the state’s northern central region that has been declared as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. Founded in 1762, the University of Virginia featured as one of the best university in the state, which has several colleges and schools including Curry School of Education, Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, College of Arts and Sciences, and the School of Architecture, among others.
Student Tuition and Demographics
| Student Population | Amount of Students |
| Total School Enrollment: | 23,765 |
| Enrollment for Undergraduate: | 14,213 |
| Undergraduate Enrollment Statistics | Population Percentage |
| Men | 45.80% |
| Women | 54.20% |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 0.20% |
| Asian or Pacific Islander | 10.20% |
| Black non-Hispanic | 8.70% |
| Hispanic | 3.50% |
| Non-resident alien | 4.40% |
| Race-ethnicity unknown | 8.60% |
| White non-Hispanic | 64.50% |
| Tuition and Fees | 2012 – 2013 |
| In-state | $12,224 |
| Out-of-state | $38,236 |
Charlottesville, VA Demographics
| Population Statistics | Population Percentage |
| Total Population | 45,049 |
| Male | 46.70% |
| Female | 53.30% |
| Under 18 | 15.20% |
| Over 18 | 84.80% |
| Over 65 | 10.10% |
| Ethnicity Statistics | Population Percentage |
| African-American | 22.20% |
| American Indian & Alaskan | 0.10% |
| Asian | 4.90% |
| Hispanic | 2.00% |
| Mixed Race | 2.10% |
| White | 69.60% |
| Other | 1.00% |
Established in 1930, this prestigious university was the College of William and Mary’s branch until 1962 when it broke off to become an independent university in its own right. Located in the city of Norfolk, in the state’s southwest corner, this top university in the state of Virginia is comprised of several colleges including Batten College of Engineering and Technology, Darden College of Education, College of Business and Public Administration, and the College of Arts and Letters, among others.
Student Tuition and Demographics
| Student Population | Amount of Students |
| Total School Enrollment: | 21,274 |
| Enrollment for Undergraduate: | 15,275 |
| Undergraduate Enrollment Statistics | Population Percentage |
| Men | 41.50% |
| Women | 58.50% |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 0.70% |
| Asian or Pacific Islander | 5.60% |
| Black non-Hispanic | 22.40% |
| Hispanic | 3.30% |
| Non-resident alien | 2.00% |
| Race-ethnicity unknown | 5.30% |
| White non-Hispanic | 60.70% |
| Tuition and Fees | 2012 – 2013 |
| In-state | $6,552 |
| Out-of-state | $18,456 |
Norfolk, VA Demographics
| Population Statistics | Population Percentage |
| Total Population | 234,403 |
| Male | 51.10% |
| Female | 48.90% |
| Under 18 | 24.00% |
| Over 18 | 76.00% |
| Over 65 | 10.90% |
| Ethnicity Statistics | Population Percentage |
| African-American | 44.10% |
| American Indian & Alaskan | 0.50% |
| Asian | 2.80% |
| Hispanic | 4.00% |
| Mixed Race | 2.50% |
| White | 48.40% |
| Other | 2.00% |
State Overview – Virginia
Virginia, which is known as the Commonwealth of Virginia, is the 35th largest state in the United States, and 12th largest in terms of its population, of about 7,078,000. Its capital is Richmond, which has a population of about 195,000. The largest city in the state is Virginia Beach, with a population of 438,000. Virginia’s economy is agriculture based, with tobacco being its most profitable crop. There are several peanut and cattle farms in the state, which also relies on substantial contributions from technology and communications to its income.
