Best Data Science Schools Near Blacksburg, VA (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Blacksburg, Virginia has 4 accredited schools offering data science programs. Blacksburg has a population of about 45,288. Median household income is $48,070 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 69.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Virginia, the top-earning data science-related role is Database Architects at a median $160,360 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Data Science Schools to Blacksburg

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer data science programs near Blacksburg, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Blacksburg 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 Blacksburg. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

Sort:
#1

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA 0.2 miles from Blacksburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $81,698
Avg net price $24,953/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 153

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Data Science Wages Near Blacksburg

Blacksburg is part of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA metro area (BLS area code 13980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Virginia statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Data Scientists $89,070 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $96,084
Statisticians $114,920 VA statewide $123,970
Operations Research Analysts $129,460 VA statewide $139,655
Software Developers $111,630 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $120,421
Actuaries $131,900 VA statewide $142,287
Database Architects $160,360 VA statewide $172,988
Computer Systems Analysts $96,830 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $104,455
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $62,790 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $67,735

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.

Blacksburg at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 45,288 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $48,070 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 69.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 92.7 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Blacksburg-Area Cities With Data Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited data science schools are near Blacksburg, VA?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering data science programs near Blacksburg. The closest is Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, VA (0.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Carolina University (79.5 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying data science roles near Blacksburg?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying data science-related roles near Blacksburg are: Database Architects ($160,360), Actuaries ($131,900), Operations Research Analysts ($129,460). 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 Christiansburg instead of Blacksburg?

Christiansburg, VA is 6.3 miles from Blacksburg and has its own set of local data science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Blacksburg an affordable place to study data science?

Blacksburg’s median household income of $48,070 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Blacksburg 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 Data Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Blacksburg

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

Data verified: September 5, 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.

Back to Best Data Science Schools in Virginia: Online Programs (2026)