Tuition & Fees

With higher education costs skyrocketing both across the Commonwealth and nationwide, Virginia’s community colleges remain a smart choice for students who are beginning postsecondary education or returning to college mid-career.

Virginia community colleges are meeting an affordable tuition goal: tuition will not exceed half of the average cost to attend a public four-year institution in Virginia.

In fact, in the 2008-09 year, in-state tuition and mandatory fees for our colleges was about $2584 for two semesters of full-time study (15 credit hours per semester), one-third of the average instate tuition and fees at Virginia’s public universities.

Tuition rates set by the State Board for Community Colleges are as follows: (effective Fall 2009)

Virginia Resident $ 87.20 per credit hour
Out-of-State Resident $ 259.30 per credit hour
A technology fee of $5.50 per credit hour shall be charged for all credit courses including those delivered by distance learning.
A capital fee of $10.00 per credit hour shall be charged to all out-of-state students for all credit courses. This includes out-of-state students associated with distance learning, third party contract, or reciprocity agreements.

A differential is charged at Northern Virginia Community College and at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, and other community colleges also have additional fees.