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

Salem, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs, with tuition ranging from $12,286 to $26,681 per year for indexed programs. Salem has a population of about 25,477. Median household income is $66,716 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Roanoke, VA metro area, the top-earning computer science-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $164,910 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Computer Science Schools to Salem

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer computer science programs near Salem. Distances are calculated from Salem city center.

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 Salem. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

American National University

Salem, VA 2.0 miles from Salem BOC Score36.2
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

#2

Virginia Western Community College

Roanoke, VA 5.2 miles from Salem BOC Score54.1
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

#3

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA 20.9 miles from Salem BOC Score80.5
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

#4

Ferrum College

Ferrum, VA 24.9 miles from Salem BOC Score30.8
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

#5

Radford University

Radford, VA 29.1 miles from Salem BOC Score60.0
Published tuition$12,286 - $26,681
Online programsYes

Visit website

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


Computer Science Wages Near Salem

Salem is part of the Roanoke, VA metro area (BLS area code 40220). 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$121,110Roanoke, VA$129,391
Computer Systems Analyst$105,430Roanoke, VA$112,639
Computer Network Architect$123,600Roanoke, VA$132,051
Database Administrator$87,990Roanoke, VA$94,006
Database Architect$120,460Roanoke, VA$128,697
Information Security Analyst$122,380Roanoke, VA$130,748
Computer Network Support Specialist$62,140Roanoke, VA$66,389
Computer User Support Specialist$55,750Roanoke, VA$59,562
Web Developer$91,390Roanoke, VA$97,639
Web and Digital Interface Designer$77,140VA statewide$82,415
Computer and Information Systems Manager$164,910Roanoke, VA$176,186

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.


Salem at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population25,477Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$66,716Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+31.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.6 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Computer Science-related employment in Salem (city) County74 workers, 14 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Salem-Area Cities With Computer Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs near Salem. The closest is American National University in Salem, VA (2.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Radford University (29.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying computer science-related roles near Salem are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($164,910), Computer Network Architect ($123,600), Information Security Analyst ($122,380). 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 Roanoke instead of Salem?

Roanoke, VA is 5.4 miles from Salem 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 Salem an affordable place to study computer science?

Salem’s median household income of $66,716 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Salem 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 Salem

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

Data verified: June 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.