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Best Trade Programs in Virginia (2026)

Top 100 of 356 programs in Virginia · Updated 2026

The best trade school programs in Virginia, ranked by overall value. We scored 356 programs across Virginia trade schools on earnings, AI resilience, job demand, and tuition ROI. The top programs average $51,728/yr in graduate earnings.

Programs in VA

356

Avg Earnings (Top 100)

$51,728/yr

Avg TSW Score

73/100

#1 Program

Ground Transportation

Tidewater Community College

Top Trade Programs in Virginia

Top 100 programs by TSW Score. Click any row for full analysis.

#	Program	TSW Score	Earnings	AI-Proof	ROI
1	Ground Transportation Tidewater Community College · Norfolk, VA	80 78–80	$39,383/yr	AI-Proof	78.7x
2	Practical Nursing Piedmont Virginia Community College · Charlottesville, VA	85 83–85	$61,566/yr	AI-Proof	123.9x
3	Nursing Danville Community College · Danville, VA	83 78–84	$70,615/yr	Moderate	63.8x
4	Nursing Northern Virginia Community College · Annandale, VA	83 77–83	$72,905/yr	Moderate	70.4x
5	Business Administration Northern Virginia Community College · Annandale, VA	85 80–87	$47,527/yr	Moderate	83.9x
6	Nursing Blue Ridge Community College · Weyers Cave, VA	82 77–82	$70,005/yr	Moderate	59.5x
7	Nursing Germanna Community College · Locust Grove, VA	83 77–83	$67,779/yr	Moderate	76.5x
8	Nursing Brightpoint Community College · Chester, VA	83 77–83	$68,587/yr	Moderate	75.0x
9	Nursing Laurel Ridge Community College · Middletown, VA	83 78–83	$69,986/yr	Moderate	73.4x
10	Nursing Patrick & Henry Community College · Martinsville, VA	82 76–82	$65,507/yr	Moderate	71.1x
11	Nursing Paul D Camp Community College · Franklin, VA	84 77–84	$68,422/yr	Moderate	80.7x
12	Nursing Piedmont Virginia Community College · Charlottesville, VA	83 77–84	$68,466/yr	Moderate	77.4x
13	Nursing Rappahannock Community College · Glenns, VA	83 78–84	$70,527/yr	Moderate	70.1x
14	Nursing Southside Virginia Community College · Alberta, VA	83 77–83	$66,693/yr	Moderate	75.5x
15	Nursing Virginia Peninsula Community College · Hampton, VA	82 77–83	$67,353/yr	Moderate	72.7x
16	Nursing Tidewater Community College · Norfolk, VA	81 76–81	$69,764/yr	Moderate	63.1x
17	Nursing Virginia Highlands Community College · Abingdon, VA	82 77–83	$65,848/yr	Moderate	74.4x
18	Electrical Installation Danville Community College · Danville, VA	82 80–83	$62,468/yr	AI-Proof	127.9x
19	Nursing J Sargeant Reynolds Community College · Richmond, VA	82 75–82	$64,425/yr	Moderate	72.8x
20	Nursing Mountain Empire Community College · Big Stone Gap, VA	80 75–80	$62,303/yr	Moderate	65.1x
21	Nursing New River Community College · Dublin, VA	80 75–81	$62,614/yr	Moderate	66.2x
22	Business Administration Virginia Peninsula Community College · Hampton, VA	84 79–86	$43,047/yr	Moderate	86.1x
23	Business Administration Tidewater Community College · Norfolk, VA	82 77–84	$42,521/yr	Moderate	73.4x
24	Nursing Virginia Western Community College · Roanoke, VA	80 75–80	$64,052/yr	Moderate	62.1x
25	Practical Nursing Virginia Western Community College · Roanoke, VA	80 78–80	$48,420/yr	AI-Proof	91.5x
26	Nursing Wytheville Community College · Wytheville, VA	80 75–80	$61,334/yr	Moderate	63.0x
27	Business Administration Blue Ridge Community College · Weyers Cave, VA	81 76–83	$40,750/yr	Moderate	79.7x
28	Nursing Brightpoint Community College · Chester, VA	86 80–86	$58,732/yr	Moderate	85.1x
29	Practical Nursing New River Community College · Dublin, VA	78 77–79	$44,377/yr	AI-Proof	90.8x
30	Business Administration Piedmont Virginia Community College · Charlottesville, VA	77 71–79	$42,474/yr	Moderate	49.8x
31	Nursing Southwest Virginia Community College · Cedar Bluff, VA	78 73–79	$56,221/yr	Moderate	62.3x
32	Business Administration Germanna Community College · Locust Grove, VA	76 69–78	$40,612/yr	Moderate	48.8x
33	Practical Nursing Fortis College-Norfolk · Norfolk, VA	70 69–71	$50,451/yr	AI-Proof	39.1x
34	Business Administration Virginia Peninsula Community College · Hampton, VA	76 71–77	$42,039/yr	Moderate	46.3x
35	Ground Transportation Advanced Technology Institute · Virginia Beach, VA	69 69–69	$40,332/yr	AI-Proof	26.7x
36	Vehicle Repair Technology Tidewater Community College · Norfolk, VA	66 65–67	$47,722/yr	AI-Proof	46.8x
37	Nursing Wytheville Community College · Wytheville, VA	82 77–82	$48,425/yr	Moderate	103.0x
38	Practical Nursing Wytheville Community College · Wytheville, VA	75 74–76	$40,416/yr	AI-Proof	81.7x
39	Practical Nursing Fortis College-Richmond · Richmond, VA	69 68–70	$50,451/yr	AI-Proof	36.7x
40	Practical Nursing Standard Healthcare Services-College of Nursing · Falls Church, VA	69 67–70	$56,355/yr	AI-Proof	—
41	IT Management Northern Virginia Community College · Annandale, VA	74 68–77	$54,742/yr	Exposed	47.0x
42	Practical Nursing Patrick & Henry Community College · Martinsville, VA	77 72–78	$38,101/yr	AI-Proof	115.9x
43	Nursing Southside College of Health Sciences · Colonial Heights, VA	74 67–74	$75,357/yr	Moderate	—
44	Vehicle Repair Technology Blue Ridge Community College · Weyers Cave, VA	70 69–70	$41,801/yr	AI-Proof	75.0x
45	Business Administration Brightpoint Community College · Chester, VA	73 65–75	$35,785/yr	Moderate	47.9x
46	Computer Science Northern Virginia Community College · Annandale, VA	77 64–80	$48,889/yr	Exposed	74.4x
47	Nursing Fortis College-Norfolk · Norfolk, VA	72 67–72	$71,678/yr	Moderate	26.2x
48	Business Administration Virginia Western Community College · Roanoke, VA	72 67–74	$38,214/yr	Moderate	41.4x
49	Criminal Justice Wytheville Community College · Wytheville, VA	69 67–71	$38,907/yr	Resilient	41.1x
50	Nursing Fortis College-Richmond · Richmond, VA	72 66–72	$71,678/yr	Moderate	24.6x
51	Nursing Eastern Virginia Career College · Fredericksburg, VA	72 66–73	$66,430/yr	Moderate	—
52	Criminal Justice Brightpoint Community College · Chester, VA	72 69–74	$33,360/yr	Resilient	66.6x
53	Precision Metalworking Brightpoint Community College · Chester, VA	65 64–66	$39,273/yr	AI-Proof	78.5x
54	Nursing Centra College · Lynchburg, VA	72 68–73	$68,582/yr	Moderate	25.6x
55	Practical Nursing Mountain Empire Community College · Big Stone Gap, VA	72 70–72	$35,693/yr	AI-Proof	79.6x
56	Allied Health Professions Northern Virginia Community College · Annandale, VA	71 69–72	$74,050/yr	Resilient	66.1x
57	Nursing Riverside College of Health Careers · Newport News, VA	71 66–72	$69,644/yr	Moderate	22.4x
58	Practical Nursing Riverside College of Health Careers · Newport News, VA	67 66–67	$46,106/yr	AI-Proof	31.9x
59	Business Administration Tidewater Community College · Norfolk, VA	71 64–73	$35,919/yr	Moderate	41.4x
60	Practical Nursing ECPI University · Virginia Beach, VA	67 66–68	$51,209/yr	AI-Proof	26.1x
61	Nursing Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach, VA	70 64–70	$68,983/yr	Moderate	19.1x
62	Business Administration J Sargeant Reynolds Community College · Richmond, VA	71 62–73	$32,111/yr	Moderate	47.5x
63	Electrical Repair Technology New River Community College · Dublin, VA	68 66–68	$62,688/yr	AI-Proof	68.6x
64	Construction Management Technology Tidewater Tech-Trades · Norfolk, VA	62 61–63	$35,172/yr	AI-Proof	22.6x
65	Dental Assisting Northern Virginia Community College · Annandale, VA	71 67–71	$70,727/yr	Resilient	70.3x
66	Practical Nursing Rappahannock Community College · Glenns, VA	69 67–69	$33,051/yr	AI-Proof	70.2x
67	Nursing ECPI University · Virginia Beach, VA	70 65–71	$71,146/yr	Moderate	19.8x
68	Practical Nursing Chester Career College · CHESTER, VA	65 63–66	$42,781/yr	AI-Proof	—
69	Practical Nursing Eastern Virginia Career College · Fredericksburg, VA	66 64–67	$44,679/yr	AI-Proof	—
70	Precision Metalworking Central Virginia Community College · Lynchburg, VA	63 62–64	$37,281/yr	AI-Proof	73.6x
71	Practical Nursing Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach, VA	64 63–65	$45,098/yr	AI-Proof	23.4x
72	Allied Health Professions J Sargeant Reynolds Community College · Richmond, VA	69 66–70	$61,104/yr	Resilient	67.1x
73	Practical Nursing Centra College · Lynchburg, VA	65 64–65	$39,611/yr	AI-Proof	35.4x
74	Allied Health Professions Mountain Empire Community College · Big Stone Gap, VA	68 65–68	$58,346/yr	Resilient	56.8x
75	Computer Science Northern Virginia Community College · Annandale, VA	71 59–74	$39,679/yr	Exposed	63.0x
76	Vehicle Repair Technology Northern Virginia Community College · Annandale, VA	69 64–70	$35,887/yr	AI-Proof	106.5x
77	Business Administration Northern Virginia Community College · Annandale, VA	68 59–70	$30,503/yr	Moderate	51.3x
78	Precision Metalworking Patrick & Henry Community College · Martinsville, VA	63 62–64	$37,030/yr	AI-Proof	75.2x
79	Business Strayer University-Virginia · Arlington, VA	69 62–71	$44,154/yr	Moderate	19.1x
80	Electrical Installation Tidewater Community College · Norfolk, VA	67 65–67	$36,232/yr	AI-Proof	62.4x
81	Allied Health Professions Tidewater Community College · Norfolk, VA	68 65–69	$62,524/yr	Resilient	58.0x
82	Electrical Installation Virginia Highlands Community College · Abingdon, VA	69 67–70	$36,340/yr	AI-Proof	73.7x
83	Allied Health Professions Virginia Highlands Community College · Abingdon, VA	76 72–77	$62,422/yr	Resilient	127.4x
84	Vehicle Repair Technology Tidewater Community College · Norfolk, VA	63 63–64	$34,696/yr	AI-Proof	59.7x
85	Electrical Installation Virginia Western Community College · Roanoke, VA	66 64–67	$34,439/yr	AI-Proof	64.5x
86	Dental Assisting Virginia Western Community College · Roanoke, VA	67 64–67	$61,030/yr	Resilient	61.7x
87	Allied Health Professions Virginia Western Community College · Roanoke, VA	67 63–68	$54,480/yr	Resilient	61.2x
88	Medical Assisting Wytheville Community College · Wytheville, VA	65 61–66	$38,446/yr	Resilient	47.6x
89	Vehicle Repair Technology Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Norfolk · Norfolk, VA	60 59–61	$44,572/yr	AI-Proof	29.7x
90	Medical Assisting Eastern Virginia Career College · Fredericksburg, VA	65 61–65	$48,020/yr	Resilient	—
91	Allied Health Professions Central Virginia Community College · Lynchburg, VA	67 61–67	$49,653/yr	Resilient	63.4x
92	Computer Science Brightpoint Community College · Chester, VA	69 61–71	$40,984/yr	Exposed	40.5x
93	Criminal Justice Brightpoint Community College · Chester, VA	65 62–66	$34,171/yr	Resilient	33.6x
94	Allied Health Professions Piedmont Virginia Community College · Charlottesville, VA	67 61–67	$49,770/yr	Resilient	62.6x
95	IT Management Strayer University-Virginia · Arlington, VA	68 61–71	$61,810/yr	Exposed	20.1x
96	Computer Science Tidewater Community College · Norfolk, VA	70 63–72	$45,084/yr	Exposed	36.6x
97	Mechanical Engineering Technology Tidewater Community College · Norfolk, VA	70 67–71	$54,461/yr	Resilient	105.0x
98	Vehicle Repair Technology Virginia Highlands Community College · Abingdon, VA	63 62–63	$32,277/yr	AI-Proof	65.4x
99	Dental Assisting Wytheville Community College · Wytheville, VA	66 63–66	$55,931/yr	Resilient	55.7x
100	Construction Management Technology CET-Alexandria · Alexandria, VA	60 58–60	$28,485/yr	AI-Proof	—

Methodology

This ranking includes the top 100 trade programs at Virginia schools, drawn from 356 total programs with earnings data. Programs are ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score (0–100), which combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and tuition ROI.

Only in-state tuition is used for ROI calculations. Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best trade program in Virginia?

By TradeSchoolOutlook Score, Ground Transportation at Tidewater Community College ranks #1 in Virginia with a score of 80/100 and graduate earnings of $39,383/yr.

How many trade programs are in Virginia?

Our database includes 356 trade programs across Virginia schools with reported earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education.

Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Last updated 2025.