Best Online Engineering Programs in Fairfax, VA (2026)

Fairfax, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs, with tuition ranging from $6,152 to $80,727 per year for indexed programs. Fairfax has a population of about 24,478. Median household income is $132,774 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 62.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $185,220 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Engineering Schools to Fairfax

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

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

Engineering Wages Near Fairfax

Fairfax is part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (BLS area code 47900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Virginia statewide.

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.

Fairfax at a Glance

Other Fairfax-Area Cities With Engineering Programs

• Herndon, VA – 9.3 mi away (24,393 pop)
• Alexandria, VA – 11.7 mi away (155,810 pop)
• Manassas, VA – 12.3 mi away (41,483 pop)
• Washington, DC – 15.7 mi away (5,191,844 pop)
• Rockville, MD – 17.7 mi away (66,940 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering schools are near Fairfax, VA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Fairfax. The closest is Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, VA (3.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is The Catholic University of America (17.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying engineering roles near Fairfax?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Fairfax are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($185,220), Aerospace Engineer ($166,420), Chemical Engineer ($132,820). 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 Herndon instead of Fairfax?

Herndon, VA is 9.3 miles from Fairfax and has its own set of local engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Fairfax an affordable place to study engineering?

Fairfax’s median household income of $132,774 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Fairfax 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 Engineering Programs

• Engineering accreditation: what to look for
• Engineering concentrations and specializations
• Is a Engineering degree worth it?
• Main Engineering degree guide
• Online Engineering programs in Virginia
• Engineering programs by state

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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.