The Roanoke Region is the center of a larger area encompassing 25 institutions of higher education. From liberal arts colleges to a prestigious research institution, the Roanoke Region has more than 100,000 undergraduate and graduate students being educated for the future. That’s a higher concentration of undergraduates- 0.108 per capita- than in the Boston-Cambridge, San Francisco-Oakland, Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill and Austin areas.

Public Four-Year Institutions

  • Virginia Tech is the state’s most comprehensive university and leading research institution, offering  225 undergraduate and graduate degree programs and managing a research portfolio of $454 million. 
  • Radford University offers an excellent undergraduate liberal arts program as well as highly ranked M.F.A. and M.B.A. programs at the graduate level. 
  • Virginia Military Institute is one of the nation’s oldest and most renowned military academies. While providing disciplined military training and preparation, VMI offers advanced studies in technology and the liberal arts. 

Private Institutions 

The Roanoke Region is surrounded by some of Virginia’s, and the country’s, most recognized private and liberal arts colleges and universities. While many people from the region choose these colleges and universities for their post-secondary education experience, these institutions also feature diverse student populations attracting people from all over the country and world.

  • Ferrum College is a four-year liberal arts institution in Ferrum. 
  • Hollins University is a renowned four-year, all-female undergraduate liberal arts college which also boasts a co-educational graduate program. Hollins has a renowned undergraduate and graduate writing program. 
  • Lynchburg College is an undergraduate liberal arts institution featuring a full range of undergraduate programs.
  • Liberty University is a growing Baptist-affiliated liberal arts college in Lynchburg. Liberty offers graduate programs and dgrees in several fields, boasting an accredited law program.
  • Randolph College is a liberal arts institution offering several pre-professional programs, unique opportunity programs, and graduate programs.
  • Roanoke College is a highly ranked liberal arts college offering pre-professional programs in law, medicine, dentistry, engineering, and ministry. 
  • Southern Virginia University is a liberal arts college affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-Day Saints. SVU offers degrees in a variety of majors and minors. 
  • Sweet Briar College is a prestigious four-year liberal arts college providing single-sex education for females in a variety of majors. SBC offers several career-based programs including pre-law, pre-veterinary, and pre-medicine.
  • Virginia University of Lynchburg is a historical African American institution with a focus on religion.
  • Washington & Lee University is recognized as one of the best academic programs in the nation. Offering a liberal arts curriculum representing a variety of majors and minors, W&L also maintains an exceptional law school. 

Medical and Health Sciences

Virginia Community College System

Traditional college classes as well as customized training for businesses is available through Virginia’s Community College System (VCCS). Whether furthering your education or seeking training for the future, VCCS provides an excellent college education as well as superior workforce training resources and classes for non-degree seeking students.

VCCS has five community colleges in the greater Roanoke Region:

Career Building Schools

As a growing medical, research, and technology hub, the region is also home to several career building institutions and technical colleges. From workforce training to master’s degrees, there are plenty of career advancement programs available in the Roanoke Region.

  • American National University provides students with career-focused instruction in various fields including accounting, business administration, IT, medicine, and more. 
  • Build Smart Institute has a mission to educate and train individuals to become career-ready and advance within construction industry occupations with a combination of virtual learning, classroom instruction and hands-on laboratory skill practice.
  • ECPI University since 1986, is a leading institution of higher education specializing in health science and technology Associates of Applied Science, Bachelor of Science, and diploma and certificate programs.

Roanoke Higher Education Center 

Located in the heart of downtown Roanoke, the Roanoke Higher Education Center is hailed as a model for 21st Century education. Featuring over 200 programs of study, the Higher Education Center provides job training, undergraduate, and graduate programs from a number of colleges and universities.

Participating institutions include: Averett University, Bluefield College, James Madison University, Jefferson College of Health Sciences, Hampton University, Hollins University, Mary Baldwin College, Nova Southeastern University, Old Dominion University, Radford University, Roanoke College, TAP – This Valley Works job training programs, the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, and Virginia Western Community College.

For more information, visit Roanoke Higher Education Center.