Best Online Nursing Programs in Petersburg, VA (2026)

Petersburg, Virginia has a population of about 33,365. The city’s median household income is $50,741 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 25.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 48 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Petersburg. In Virginia, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Midwife at a median $139,770 annually (BLS, May 2024).


Closest Nursing Schools to Petersburg

The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 48 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near Petersburg. Distances are calculated from Petersburg city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Virginia State UniversityPetersburg, VA2.6 miContact school for pricing
Southside College of Health SciencesColonial Heights, VA4.4 miContact school for pricing
Brightpoint Community CollegeChester, VA9.9 miContact school for pricing
Chester Career CollegeCHESTER, VA10.0 miContact school for pricing
Galen Health Institutes-RichmondRichmond, VA22.2 miContact school for pricing
Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, VA24.1 miContact school for pricing
Fortis College-RichmondRichmond, VA26.6 miContact school for pricing
Henrico County-Saint Marys Hospital School of Practical NursingRichmond, VA29.1 miContact school for pricing
J Sargeant Reynolds Community CollegeRichmond, VA30.2 miContact school for pricing
Bon Secours Memorial College of NursingRichmond, VA30.7 miContact school for pricing

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


Nursing Wages Near Petersburg

Petersburg 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Registered Nurse$89,730Richmond, VA$91,655
Licensed Practical Nurse$62,590Richmond, VA$63,933
Nurse Anesthetist$124,450Richmond, VA$127,120
Nurse Midwife$139,770VA statewide$142,768
Nurse Practitioner$124,990Richmond, VA$127,671
Nursing Assistant$38,890Richmond, VA$39,724

Source: BLS, May 2024 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.


Petersburg at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population33,365Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$50,741Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+25.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)97.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in Petersburg (city) County2,304 workers, 42 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Petersburg-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Petersburg, VA?

Our directory has 48 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Petersburg. The closest is Virginia State University in Petersburg, VA (2.6 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing (30.7 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Petersburg?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Petersburg are: Nurse Midwife ($139,770), Nurse Practitioner ($124,990), Nurse Anesthetist ($124,450). 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 Petersburg?

Hopewell, VA is 7.9 miles from Petersburg and has its own set of local nursing programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Petersburg an affordable place to study nursing?

Petersburg’s median household income of $50,741 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Petersburg 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.


Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; 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.