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VB OceanfrontPhoto: DanRVA · CC BY-SA 4.0
Colleges in and near Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach is home to six colleges, with about 13,000 students on campus

ECPI University (8,018 students on campus) and Regent University (1,955) are inside the city. About 7% of Virginia Beach’s residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Virginia State (7%).

Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia BeachECPI UniversityVirginia Wesleyan University

From the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard, June 2026; IPEDS fall 2023 enrollment) and the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 2020–24. Straight-line distances from the center of Virginia Beach. Colleges are described, not graded.

Within 15 miles
11
19,699 students on campus
Nearest college
6.5 mi
South University-Virginia Beach
Residents in college
7%
About the same as VA (7%)
Nearest community college
6.9 mi
Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach · $18,489 tuition
Nearest public university
13.7 mi
Norfolk State · $10,180 in-state
Median household income
$93K
prices below start here

What stands out about college in Virginia Beach

Facts about the town and its distance to campus; each college’s own figures follow.

Three colleges within 10.7 milesECPI University admits 75% of applicants; Virginia Wesleyan University admits 73%. Together they have 10,851 students on campus.A community college 6.9 miles awayBryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach in Virginia Beach: tuition and fees $18,489 a year for Virginia State residents.In-state price at Norfolk StateLiving in Virginia State, Norfolk State University charges $10,180 in tuition and fees; from out of state, $21,682. State residency rules decide which a new arrival pays.Students are 7% of residentsAbout the same as Virginia State (7%). The Census counts anyone enrolled, including part-time and online students.
Every college

Colleges within 15 miles of Virginia Beach

10 private colleges within 14.4 miles, one public college within 13.7 miles, and Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach 6.9 miles away.

5 mi10 mi15 miECPI UniversityNorfolk StateRegent UniversityVirginia Beach
University or collegeCommunity college
South University-Virginia BeachUniversity or college · For-profit · 143 on campus · In Virginia Beach$28knet price8%graduate$34kearningsEarnings are reported for all 10 campuses that file with it.Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia BeachCommunity college · Private nonprofit · 1,339 on campus · In Virginia Beach$12knet price24%graduate$33kearningsTuition and fees: $18,489 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Earnings are reported for all 8 campuses that file with it.Regent UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 1,955 on campus · In Virginia Beach · mostly online38%admitted$20knet price57%graduate$44kearnings81% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.ECPI UniversityUniversity or college · For-profit · 8,018 on campus · In Virginia Beach75%admitted$23knet price42%graduate$43kearningsAdvanced Technology InstituteUniversity or college · For-profit · 377 on campus · In Virginia Beach54%admitted$16knet price79%graduate$46kearningsFortis College-NorfolkUniversity or college · For-profit · 431 on campus · 10.1 mi · Norfolk$25knet price30%graduate$33kearningsEarnings are reported for all 3 campuses that file with it.Virginia Wesleyan UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 1,494 on campus · In Virginia Beach73%admitted$20knet price42%graduate$50kearningsCentura College-ChesapeakeUniversity or college · For-profit · 206 on campus · 11.1 mi · ChesapeakeSentara College of Health SciencesUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 283 on campus · 11.9 mi · Chesapeake$78kearningsNorfolk State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · 5,260 on campus · 13.7 mi · Norfolk88%admitted$15knet price38%graduate$45kearningsCentura College-NorfolkUniversity or college · For-profit · 193 on campus · 14.4 mi · Norfolk$31knet price73%graduate$26kearningsEarnings are reported for all 4 campuses that file with it.

Degree-granting colleges with 100 or more students on campus (fall 2023 enrollment, minus students who study only online). Admitted: share of applicants offered a place. Net price: the average a year after grants, for students on federal aid. Graduate: within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting.

What it costs

What would your family pay?

The average a year after grants, for families on federal aid, at the colleges within 15 miles. Pick your family’s income.

Family income

Starts at $75–110k, where Virginia Beach’s median household income ($92,968) falls.

Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia BeachIn Virginia Beach · sticker $23,803 · tuition $18,489$13,803a year
Norfolk State University13.7 mi · Norfolk · sticker $26,633$17,972a year
Regent UniversityIn Virginia Beach · mostly online · sticker $32,838$19,148a year
Advanced Technology InstituteIn Virginia Beach · sticker $23,713$20,821a year
Virginia Wesleyan UniversityIn Virginia Beach · sticker $51,255$22,603a year
Fortis College-Norfolk10.1 mi · Norfolk · sticker $32,005$24,610a year
ECPI UniversityIn Virginia Beach · sticker $30,055$25,439a year
Centura College-Norfolk14.4 mi · Norfolk · sticker $36,328$27,862a year
South University-Virginia BeachIn Virginia Beach · sticker $36,577—a year

The average a year after grants and scholarships, for first-time, full-time students on federal aid, from the College Scorecard. Your own price depends on your aid package; every college has a net price calculator. For community colleges the net price counts housing and food at full cost, so tuition is shown beside it. “—”: not reported for that income.

Outcomes

Do students finish, and does it pay?

Each dot is a college within 15 miles of Virginia Beach: across is the share who graduate, up is what they earn ten years after starting.

$0$20k$40k$60k$80k0%25%50%75%100%Graduate →Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia BeachRegent UniversityECPI UniversityFortis College-NorfolkVirginia Wesleyan UniversityNorfolk State
ECPI University42% graduate$43k earnings$20k typical debt
Norfolk State University38% graduate$45k earnings$29k typical debt
Regent University57% graduate$44k earnings$25k typical debt
Virginia Wesleyan University42% graduate$50k earnings$27k typical debt
Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach24% graduate$33k earnings*$22k typical debt
Fortis College-Norfolk30% graduate$33k earnings*$10k typical debt
Advanced Technology Institute79% graduate$46k earnings$15k typical debt
Centura College-Norfolk73% graduate$26k earnings*$15k typical debt
South University-Virginia Beach8% graduate$34k earnings*$26k typical debt

Graduation: first-time, full-time students within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 years (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting, for students who got federal aid. *Reported for all the campuses that file together: South University-Virginia Beach (10); Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach (8); Fortis College-Norfolk (3); Centura College-Norfolk (4).

Majors

What students study in Virginia Beach

Share of bachelor’s and associate degrees by field across Virginia Beach’s 5 colleges, weighted by undergraduates; then the biggest programs.

Health professions 55%Computer science 18%Engineering tech 8%Business 6%Personal & culinary services 3%Public safety 2%Everything else 9%

Biggest programs

Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementECPI University · 367 graduates a year
$70k4 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingECPI University · 202 graduates a year
$91k4 yrs out
Business Administration, Management and OperationsECPI University · 164 graduates a year
$54k4 yrs out
Electromechanical Technologies/TechniciansECPI University · 86 graduates a year
$80k4 yrs out
Computer ProgrammingECPI University · 82 graduates a year
$62k4 yrs out
Health and Medical Administrative ServicesECPI University · 81 graduates a year
$51k4 yrs out
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsECPI University · 69 graduates a year
$55k4 yrs out
Business Administration, Management and OperationsVirginia Wesleyan University · 42 graduates a year
$63k4 yrs out

College Scorecard: degree shares (PCIP; each college’s six largest fields are kept, the rest count as everything else) and the field-of-study file, median earnings 4 years after graduating. Left out: Regent University, where most students study only online.

Questions about college in Virginia Beach

Is Virginia Beach a college town?

No. About 7 of every 100 Virginia Beach residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), about the same as Virginia State (7). The largest campus in the city, ECPI University, has 8,018 students on campus.

What colleges are in Virginia Beach?

ECPI University, Regent University, Virginia Wesleyan University, Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach and 2 more are inside the city.

What is the closest community college to Virginia Beach, and what does it cost?

Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach in Virginia Beach, 6.9 miles away. Tuition and fees are $18,489 a year for Virginia State residents; the federal net price, $12,038, counts housing and food at full cost.

How much does Norfolk State University cost if we live in Virginia State?

Tuition and fees are $10,180 a year in-state and $21,682 from out of state. After grants, families on federal aid paid an average of $12,804 (under $30,000 income) to $26,175 (over $110,000), housing and food included.

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Colleges: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023 enrollment). “On campus” is fall enrollment minus students who study only online. Distances are straight-line from the center of Virginia Beach. Residents in college, age, rent and poverty (including poverty without college students, table B14006): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–24. Colleges are described, not graded; the College town label marks towns where 15% or more of residents are enrolled. How TownRatings describes colleges →