Home › Rankings › Best Trades in Virginia

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, 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

Truck Driving & CDL

Tidewater Community College

Top Trade Programs in Virginia

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

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

About This Ranking

What we ranked

Best Trades in Virginia ranks 100 programs across the United States by the TradeSchoolOutlook Score, which combines graduate earnings, return on investment, and job-market demand into a single 0-100 metric.

Data sources

Earnings figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, which tracks graduate income one and five years after program completion. Job-market projections use Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 employment data.

How to read the table

Use the sort controls below the headline to re-rank by earnings, ROI, or other metrics. Click any school name for full earnings projections, three-scenario modeling, and detailed program data. Most students attend a school within driving distance — local rankings are usually more actionable than national.

Caveats & limitations

Rankings reflect what the data can measure: post-graduation earnings, debt levels, and broad labor-market trends. They cannot capture program quality nuances like instructor expertise, hands-on equipment access, or industry connections. Treat rankings as a starting point — visit schools and talk to current students before committing.

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, 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, Truck Driving & CDL 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). Last updated 2025.