Best Data Science Schools Near Richmond, VA (2026)

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

Richmond, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering data science programs, with tuition ranging from $25,914 to $54,630 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 data science-related role is Database Architects at a median $133,770 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Data Science Schools to Richmond

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer data 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.

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

Sort:
#1

William & Mary

Williamsburg, VA 45.8 miles from Richmond
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
85.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 34%
Graduation rate 90%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,490
Avg net price $19,096/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,914
Out‑of‑state$51,038
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charlottesville, VA 66.1 miles from Richmond
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $86,863
Avg net price $21,565/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 117

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#3

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA 78.2 miles from Richmond
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,914
Avg net price $14,638/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 110

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Marymount University

Arlington, VA 96.9 miles from Richmond
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,516
Avg net price $29,137/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#5

Bridgewater College

Bridgewater, VA 100.3 miles from Richmond
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
58.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 92%
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,453
Avg net price $17,800/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,090
Out‑of‑state$16,090
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Roanoke College

Salem, VA 142.5 miles from Richmond
  • 4 year
51.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,047
Avg net price $24,503/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#7

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA 163.2 miles from Richmond
  • 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 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.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Data Scientists $122,510 Richmond, VA $125,138
Statisticians $81,620 Richmond, VA $83,371
Operations Research Analysts $109,650 Richmond, VA $112,002
Software Developers $132,120 Richmond, VA $134,954
Actuaries $131,900 Richmond, VA $134,729
Database Architects $133,770 Richmond, VA $136,639
Computer Systems Analysts $105,190 Richmond, VA $107,446
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $81,660 Richmond, VA $83,412

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

Metric Value Source
Population 227,595 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $62,671 Census 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

Other Richmond-Area Cities With Data Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering data science programs near Richmond. The closest is William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA (45.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Howard University (99.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying data science-related roles near Richmond are: Database Architects ($133,770), Software Developers ($132,120), Actuaries ($131,900). 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 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 Richmond an affordable place to study data 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 Data Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Richmond

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

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)