Virginia Western Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Nursing Programs in Roanoke, VA (2026)
Roanoke, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $12,286 to $26,681 per year for indexed 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 nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $252,110 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Nursing Schools to Roanoke
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near Roanoke. Distances are calculated from Roanoke city center.
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.
Radford University
Published tuition$12,286 - $26,681
Online programsYes
Mountain Gateway Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Patrick & Henry Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
New River Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Virginia schools on the Virginia nursing page.
Nursing 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.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $80,090 | Roanoke, VA | $85,566 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $61,210 | Roanoke, VA | $65,395 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $252,110 | VA statewide | $269,348 |
| Nurse Midwife | $135,710 | VA statewide | $144,989 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $134,920 | Roanoke, VA | $144,145 |
| Nursing Assistant | $38,960 | Roanoke, VA | $41,624 |
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
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 98,677 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $52,671 | Census 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 |
Other Roanoke-Area Cities With Nursing Programs
- Salem, VA – 5.4 mi away (25,549 pop)
- Blacksburg, VA – 26.0 mi away (93,560 pop)
- Christiansburg, VA – 26.2 mi away (22,088 pop)
- Martinsville, VA – 41.5 mi away (34,132 pop)
- Lynchburg, VA – 43.0 mi away (123,795 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited nursing schools are near Roanoke, VA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Roanoke. The closest is Virginia Western Community College in Roanoke, VA (2.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is New River Community College (41.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Roanoke?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Roanoke are: Nurse Anesthetist ($252,110), Nurse Midwife ($135,710), Nurse Practitioner ($134,920). 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 nursing 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 nursing?
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 Nursing Programs
- Nursing accreditation: what to look for
- Nursing concentrations and specializations
- Is a Nursing degree worth it?
- Main Nursing degree guide
- Online Nursing programs in Virginia
- Nursing programs by state
Other Programs Available in Roanoke
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Roanoke:
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Related from Our Editorial Library
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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.