Best Online Computer Science Programs in Richmond, VA (2026)

Richmond, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs, with tuition ranging from $4,958 to $77,290 per year for indexed programs. Richmond has a population of about 227,595. Median household income is $62,671 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 44.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Richmond, VA metro area, the top-earning computer science-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $180,640 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Computer Science Schools to Richmond

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer computer science programs near Richmond, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Richmond city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Richmond. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, VA 1.9 miles from Richmond BOC Score 65.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,128
Avg net price $23,433/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Virginia schools on the Virginia computer science page.


Computer Science Wages Near Richmond

Richmond is part of the Richmond, VA metro area (BLS area code 40060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Virginia statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developer$132,120Richmond, VA$134,954
Computer Systems Analyst$105,190Richmond, VA$107,446
Computer Network Architect$129,210Richmond, VA$131,982
Database Administrator$99,690Richmond, VA$101,828
Database Architect$133,770Richmond, VA$136,639
Information Security Analyst$126,230Richmond, VA$128,938
Computer Network Support Specialist$65,460Richmond, VA$66,864
Computer User Support Specialist$60,790Richmond, VA$62,094
Web Developer$117,090Richmond, VA$119,602
Web and Digital Interface Designer$63,660Richmond, VA$65,026
Computer and Information Systems Manager$180,640Richmond, VA$184,515

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Richmond at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population227,595Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$62,671Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+44.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)97.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Computer Science-related employment in Richmond (city) County1,198 workers, 248 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Richmond-Area Cities With Computer Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited computer science schools are near Richmond, VA?

Accredited schools offering computer science programs near Richmond are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying computer science roles near Richmond?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying computer science-related roles near Richmond are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($180,640), Database Architect ($133,770), Software Developer ($132,120). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Hopewell instead of Richmond?

Hopewell, VA is 19.1 miles from Richmond and has its own set of local computer science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Richmond an affordable place to study computer science?

Richmond’s median household income of $62,671 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Richmond while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Virginia public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Computer Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Richmond

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Richmond:

Data verified: July 23, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.