There are a lot of postsecondary institutions in the Herndon area, but many of them are highly specialized colleges offering only a few programs. We focus on traditional institutions and compare them with data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to help students find a school that best matches their educational needs.
Closest Schools to Herndon, Virginia
If proximity to Herndon is something students are looking for, there are several school options. The closest schools are mostly private 4-year institutions, and several offer graduate degree programs in addition to undergraduate programs.
- Strayer University-Loudoun Campus (6.7 miles from downtown)
- University of the Potomac-VA Campus (7.6 miles from downtown)
- George Mason University (10.2 miles from downtown)
- Stratford University (10.2 miles from downtown)
Largest Schools Near Herndon, Virginia
Some students may be looking for the bigger college experience. For those students, there are mostly private schools to choose from, but the two largest schools in the area are public institutions. Overall, the student populations in the area range from fewer than 100 to over 50,000 students.
- Northern Virginia Community College (49,560 students)
- George Mason University (38,628 students)
- Marymount University (3,555 students)
- Strayer University-Virginia (3,223 students)
- Stratford University (1,397 students)
Lowest Net Price
The price of a school can be a big part of a student's decision. To determine a school's average net price, the NCES subtracts the average amount of financial aid an in-state, full-time undergrad student receives from a school's total cost of attendance. There are several traditional schools in the area that offered net prices less than $25,000 for 2020-2021.
- Northern Virginia Community College ($9,627)
- University of Management and Technology ($11,075)
- Columbia College ($11,570)
- George Mason University ($18,841)
Highest Graduation Rates
Graduation rates can be an indicator of a school's ability to help students succeed. The NCES determines graduation rates by the percentage of full-time undergraduate students who are able to complete a program within 150% of the 'normal' estimated length (e.g. six years for a bachelor's degree program). All four schools with the highest graduation rates in the area for 2021 are less than 20 miles from Herndon.
- Stratford University (100% graduation rate)
- George Mason University (70% graduation rate)
- Columbia College (63% graduation rate)
- Marymount University (62% graduation rate)
The Herndon, VA, area is home to several traditional public and private institutions that provide students with their choice in location, size, price, and graduation rates.
