Virginia · Data Science

Best colleges for Data Science in Virginia

Ranked by graduates a year

University of Virginia, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and William & Mary award the most Data Science degrees and certificates in Virginia: 143, 138 and 59 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 7 Virginia colleges offer Data Science and award 368 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Data Science program is an interdisciplinary field that combines statistics, scientific computing, and coding to extract knowledge from various types of data. This program is designed for students interested in analyzing and…

Institutions
7
offering CIP 30.70
States offered
45
with a program page
Degrees / yr
368
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
—
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
0
College Scorecard
Median net price
$24,604
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
70%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Data Scientists
$134,590
BLS OEWS May 2025

7 institutions offering Data Science in Virginia

Graduate earnings are not yet reported for these institutions; ordered by graduates a year.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of Virginia
Charlottesville Public
—14396%——
2Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg Public
—13886%——
3William & Mary
Williamsburg Public
—5989%——
4Old Dominion University
Norfolk Public
—1646%——
5Marymount University
Arlington Private not-for-profit
—554%$25,803—
6Roanoke College
Salem Private not-for-profit
—567%$24,604—
7Bridgewater College
Bridgewater Private not-for-profit
—253%$19,485—

Colleges awarding the most Data Science degrees in Virginia

Top 7 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of Virginia
Charlottesville Public
143Not reported
2Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg Public
138Not reported
3William & Mary
Williamsburg Public
59Not reported
4Old Dominion University
Norfolk Public
16Not reported
5Marymount University
Arlington Private not-for-profit
5Not reported
6Roanoke College
Salem Private not-for-profit
5Not reported
7Bridgewater College
Bridgewater Private not-for-profit
2Not reported

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Data Scientists (SOC 15-2051).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+33.5%
Much faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~23,400
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$112,590
typically Bachelor's degree

What Data Scientists earn in Virginia

Jobs in Virginia
8,920
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$134,590
median $126,430
Best-paying metro
$138,320
Charlottesville, VA

Related careers

Software Developers
$146,340 avg · 88,280 jobs
Computer and Information Systems Managers
$206,920 avg · 17,550 jobs
Data Scientists
$134,590 avg · 8,920 jobs
Database Architects
$154,550 avg · 5,260 jobs
Computer and Information Research Scientists
$164,260 avg · 3,590 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Data Science programs in Virginia.

Which Virginia colleges award the most Data Science degrees?+

University of Virginia (143 graduates a year), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (138 graduates a year) and William & Mary (59 graduates a year) award the most Data Science degrees and certificates in Virginia, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 7 Virginia colleges offer Data Science.

How much do Data Scientists earn in Virginia?+

The average annual wage for Data Scientists in Virginia is $134,590 (median $126,430), across about 8,920 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Data Science program?+

The Data Science program is an interdisciplinary field that combines statistics, scientific computing, and coding to extract knowledge from various types of data. This program is designed for students interested in analyzing and…

What is the job outlook for Data Scientists?+

The national job outlook is about +33.5% growth with around 23,400 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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