Best Data Science Degree Programs in Virginia — 2026 Rankings

Virginia offers substantial state financial aid for STEM students.

The Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG) provides $5,250/year for undergraduate residents attending private nonprofit institutions (SCHEV VTAG). The Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program (VGAP) covers tuition, fees, and books for low- and middle-income students. Both programs require FAFSA completion with priority deadlines varying by institution. The G3 Program covers two-thirds of tuition for approved VCCS credentials in high-demand fields.

Federal aid and research funding support data science students.

The Pell Grant provides up to $7,395/year (2024-25) for students with demonstrated need. Federal loans offer $5,500-$7,500/year for undergraduates. NSF Graduate Research Fellowships provide $37,000 annual stipends plus tuition for doctoral students in data science. NIH training grants support students working on biomedical data science research at UVA and VCU.

Institutional scholarships and industry support enhance affordability.

Virginia Tech, UVA, and GMU offer merit scholarships of $2,000-$15,000/year for strong data science applicants. Technology companies including Capital One, Amazon, and Microsoft fund scholarship programs at partner universities. Graduate assistantships at Virginia's research universities typically cover full tuition plus $25,000-$35,000 stipends for master's and doctoral students. Data science master's programs often qualify for employer tuition reimbursement—common among Northern Virginia defense contractors.

Virginia's Guaranteed Admission Agreements facilitate data science transfers.

Students completing associate degrees at Virginia's 23 community colleges with required GPAs receive guaranteed admission to participating four-year institutions (VCCS Transfer). For data science and statistics transfers, Virginia Tech requires 3.4+ GPA through the VCCS agreement. Northern Virginia Community College offers Associate of Science degrees designed for transfer to GMU and other area universities.

Prerequisite completion is essential for data science transfers.

Students should complete calculus (through multivariable), linear algebra, statistics, and introductory programming (Python or R preferred) at community college level. These foundational courses transfer directly and satisfy prerequisites for upper-division data science coursework. The Virginia Education Wizard (vawizard.org) helps map equivalent courses between institutions. Early advising is critical—students should declare transfer intent by 15 credits earned.

Financial incentives support community college to university transfers.

The Two-Year College Transfer Grant (CTG) provides up to $3,000 annually for students completing associate degrees with 3.0+ GPA (SCHEV). An additional $1,000 is available for STEM majors including data science-related programs. Community college tuition averaging $5,000/year combined with transfer grants can reduce total bachelor's degree costs by $30,000-$40,000. Many students work part-time during community college while building strong academic records for competitive transfer admission.

Virginia's position as the nation's cloud computing capital makes it ideal for data science education.

Northern Virginia's "Data Center Alley" in Ashburn handles an estimated 70% of global internet traffic through AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud facilities (NoVA EDA). This unprecedented data infrastructure creates exceptional demand for data scientists who can extract insights from massive datasets. Virginia Tech, UVA, and George Mason University have rapidly expanded data science programs to meet employer needs in both government and private sectors.

Data science salaries in Virginia rank among the nation's highest.

The average salary for data scientists is $152,984/year, with top earners reaching $242,022 (90th percentile) according to Glassdoor. Entry-level positions average $121,187, demonstrating strong starting compensation (Glassdoor Virginia). Indeed reports $136,051 average based on 585 salary submissions. Top-level data scientists command $274,713 annually, with ranges extending to $327,506 in the highest-paying roles.

Virginia's unique blend of federal, defense, and private sector employers creates diverse data science opportunities.

The Intelligence Community—NSA, CIA, NGA—employs thousands of data scientists for national security analytics. Defense contractors including Booz Allen Hamilton, CACI, and Leidos have established major data science practices. Amazon HQ2 in Arlington brings 25,000+ employees including substantial data science teams. Capital One in McLean pioneered data-driven banking and continues aggressive hiring. Compare programs in California, New York, or explore our national data science rankings.

Virginia's data science job market shows exceptional strength and diversity.

Glassdoor lists 567+ data scientist positions in Virginia as of late 2025, with significant concentrations in Arlington, McLean, Reston, and Richmond (Glassdoor Jobs). The top-paying industries for data scientists in Virginia include Retail & Wholesale (median $156,170), Information Technology ($146,370), Financial Services ($141,399), and Management Consulting ($136,325). This industry diversity provides career flexibility and economic stability.

Regional salary variations reflect employer concentration.

Northern Virginia leads with data scientists earning $160,000-$200,000 at major tech firms including Google, Meta, and Amazon. Arlington and Fairfax County pay approximately 16% above state averages. Richmond's growing fintech sector offers $130,000-$150,000 for data science roles at Capital One regional offices and emerging startups. Hampton Roads provides $110,000-$130,000 for defense and healthcare analytics positions. Remote work has expanded access to national employers while maintaining Virginia cost advantages.

Virginia data science curricula integrate statistics, computer science, and domain expertise.

Core requirements include probability and statistical inference, machine learning algorithms, data visualization, database systems, and programming in Python and R. Virginia Tech's data science minor pairs with any major, while the Statistics major offers data science concentration. UVA's School of Data Science pioneered residential master's curriculum emphasizing ethical AI, reproducible research, and collaborative practice.

Technical depth prepares students for industry demands.

Advanced coursework covers deep learning architectures, natural language processing, computer vision, big data systems (Hadoop, Spark), and cloud computing platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP). Programs integrate industry tools including TensorFlow, PyTorch, SQL databases, and visualization libraries. George Mason emphasizes applied projects with Northern Virginia employers. Industry certifications in AWS Machine Learning, Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer, and Microsoft Azure complement academic credentials.

Capstone projects and research opportunities distinguish Virginia programs.

Virginia Tech's Sanghani Center offers undergraduate research assistantships working alongside faculty on AI/ML projects. UVA's Data Science Institute connects students with Charlottesville research hospitals and government partners. Many programs require industry internships as graduation requirements—opportunities abound in Northern Virginia. Master's programs (30-36 credits) offer thesis and applied project tracks. Graduate students frequently collaborate with federal agencies on classified and unclassified research. See computer science programs or software engineering degrees.

On-campus data science programs provide significant advantages.

Access to high-performance computing clusters, GPUs for deep learning, and specialized software is essential for advanced coursework. Virginia Tech's Sanghani Center and UVA's School of Data Science offer computational resources difficult to replicate remotely. Career fair access, employer networking, and research assistantships favor on-campus students. For students seeking cleared positions with defense contractors, on-campus attendance typically facilitates security clearance sponsorship.

Online programs suit working professionals seeking advancement.

George Mason, ODU, and several private Virginia institutions offer online data science master's degrees. These programs accommodate professionals already working in data-related roles who seek formal credentials or career advancement. Online tuition may be 10-20% lower than on-campus rates. Working professionals can apply current job experience to coursework and immediately implement learned techniques. However, networking opportunities and research access are more limited than on-campus options.

Hybrid approaches balance flexibility and opportunity.

Some Virginia programs offer evening and weekend on-campus options for employed students in Northern Virginia. Community college prerequisites can be completed online before transferring to on-campus bachelor's programs. UVA's online master's in data science combines asynchronous coursework with optional on-campus residencies. For professionals already employed at Northern Virginia technology companies or defense contractors, employer-sponsored tuition reimbursement makes part-time online programs financially attractive while maintaining career progression.