Best Community Colleges in Virginia

Virginia’s in-person and online community colleges can offer students a quicker and more flexible route toward entering the job market or continuing their education. The schools offer two-year associate degree programs, dual enrollment, transfer programs, and college credit pathways.

Virginia has 23 community colleges on 40 different campuses across the state. The community college system in Virginia awarded 31,193 degrees, diplomas, and certificates in 2020. Forty-six percent of all Virginia undergraduates were enrolled in one of the state’s community colleges.

The state’s community college system has also partnered with organizations like College Anywhere VA and FastForward to provide prospective students with financial aid, grants and scholarships.

Along with the two-year associate degrees offered by the community colleges in Virginia, high school students can sign up for dual enrollment programs. They can take college coursework and earn credits toward their intended degree program.

On top of that, Virginia’s community colleges also offer transfer programs that can help students transition easily to four-year colleges and universities. The state also provides short-term in-person and online training programs through the FastForward platform.

Virginia’s economy ranks 13th among states as of 2021, according to U.S. News and World Report. The most in-demand industries in Virginia include service, healthcare, technology, agriculture, forestry and fishing, manufacturing, and transportation.

Different industries have a big presence in different parts of the state: Farming and tobacco-growing in Virginia’s rural areas. Shipbuilding along the southern shore. Seafood harvesting, apple-growing, and wineries on the Atlantic coast and in the countryside.

Virginia has a score of 103.7 on the cost of living index, which puts the state above the U.S. average score of 100. In Virginia, housing costs and gas prices are also above the national average. However, almost all other living expenses across the state are relatively affordable.

Healthcare costs in Virginia are below the national average. The cost of health insurance has decreased 4% since 2020.

Other expenses in Virginia that are below the national average include food costs and groceries, utility costs, the sales tax rate, and property taxes.

Whether you’re a tourist or a resident, there are plenty of things to do in the state. Virginia offers a diverse range of activities.

You can visit the state’s cultural and heritage museums, such as the National Museum of the Marine Corps, the Taubman Museum of Art, the Virginia Museum of Natural History, and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.

Places where you can go to explore the great outdoors include the Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Park, Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, Blue Ridge Parkway, and the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.

With its humid and subtropical climate, Virginia is often characterized as “not too hot and not too cold.”

You can enjoy four distinct seasons in Virginia. August tends to be humid, as the summers can be “pleasantly hot.” If you want to escape the hot and humid summer temperatures, you can always visit the mountains. There, the temperatures are about 10 degrees cooler on average.

The month of January is typically described as cold and dry. In the winter, the state can get some snow, with the heaviest amounts found in the mountains. Expect moderate rainfall throughout the year.

Virginia’s unemployment rate fell to 3.6% in October 2021. The state’s labor force increased by 5,918 to 4,256,634, according to the Virginia Employment Commission.

Just like every state in the country, Virginia’s economy is still in the process of recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The industry that enjoyed the highest job growth in Virginia was leisure and hospitality. It was followed by the government and then trade and transportation as the fields with the biggest job gains.

Among occupations that require an associate degree or a postsecondary non-degree award, nursing assistant roles are projected to be the most in-demand jobs in Virginia. The Virginia Employment Commission projects the field will grow by 9,644 jobs through 2024.

Median Annual Salary in Virginia: $24,900

Students pursuing entry-level jobs as licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses can enroll in a two-year associate degree program offered at most Virginia community colleges. The field is projected to grow by 4,546 new jobs in the state through 2024.

Median Annual Salary in Virginia: $40,800

Healthcare jobs are projected to be in great demand in the coming years. Students looking to enter this field may want to consider studying to be medical assistants. They can get a postsecondary education at a Virginia community college to pursue this career. This field is projected to grow by 3,434 new jobs in the state through 2024.

Median Annual Salary in Virginia: $31,000

Becoming an elementary or secondary school teacher requires a four-year bachelor’s degree. However, those who still want to work in education may consider a path as a teacher assistant. They can start by earning an associate degree at a community college in Virginia. In the state, the field for teacher assistants is projected to increase by 3,398 jobs through 2024.

Median Annual Salary in Virginia: $25,200

As technology and computer use continues to grow, these professionals will be needed to analyze, troubleshoot, and maintain computer systems. For many, training can be done through an associate degree program. The projected growth for computer user support specialists is 3,339 new jobs in the state through 2024.

Median Annual Salary in Virginia: $53,500

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