Best Online Engineering Programs in Roanoke, VA (2026)

Roanoke, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs. Roanoke has a population of about 98,677. Median household income is $52,671 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Virginia, the top-earning engineering-related role is Aerospace Engineer at a median $143,210 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Engineering Schools to Roanoke

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

#1

Virginia Western Community College

Roanoke, VA 2.4 miles from Roanoke BOC Score 54.1
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,787
Avg net price $4,966/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Engineering Wages Near Roanoke

Roanoke 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)
Civil Engineer$90,720Roanoke, VA$96,923
Electrical Engineer$108,930Roanoke, VA$116,378
Mechanical Engineer$102,160Roanoke, VA$109,145
Chemical Engineer$136,380VA statewide$145,705
Aerospace Engineer$143,210VA statewide$153,002
Biomedical Engineer$106,140VA statewide$113,397
Environmental Engineer$104,940VA statewide$112,115
Architectural and Engineering Manager$139,170Roanoke, VA$148,686

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.


Roanoke at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population98,677Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$52,671Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+28.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.6 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Engineering-related employment in Roanoke (city) County630 workers, 47 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Roanoke-Area Cities With Engineering Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering schools are near Roanoke, VA?

Accredited schools offering engineering programs near Roanoke 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 engineering roles near Roanoke?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Roanoke are: Aerospace Engineer ($143,210), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($139,170), Chemical Engineer ($136,380). 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 Salem instead of Roanoke?

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

Roanoke’s median household income of $52,671 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Roanoke 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

Other Programs Available in Roanoke

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

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.