Virginia Community Colleges
Engineering Programs
Engineering and pre-engineering programs at community colleges in this state. Calculus, physics, and intro engineering for transfer to four-year programs.
20 colleges · 216 sections · 18 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
Two distinct engineering pathways run through Virginia community colleges: the transfer-track pre-engineering associate that articulates to a bachelor's in mechanical, electrical, or civil engineering at a four-year school, and the engineering-technology associate (AAS) that prepares students directly for industrial-tech, manufacturing-engineering-tech, and CAD-drafter careers. The 216 sections across 20 VCCS institutions cover both — calculus and physics for the transfer track, applied automation and materials for the AAS.
Engineering proper (the licensed P.E. profession) requires a bachelor's from an ABET-accredited program. CC's role is to provide the first two years at lower cost, especially the heavy calculus and physics sequence that many four-year programs treat as a weed-out. The engineering-technology track is a complete career credential on its own — graduates work as technicians, lab specialists, and field engineers without continuing to a bachelor's.
Earnings & outcomes for Engineering graduates
Federal College Scorecard data on what graduates of this program actually earn after completion. Where a school’s cohort is too small to publish, we show the national benchmark for the same field of study.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, per-program (4-digit CIP) data. CIP 1401 — Engineering, General. School cohorts are suppressed by the federal source when fewer than ~30 completers in the reporting cohort.
Colleges offering Engineering
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Virginia Community College | 61 | 12 | 33 | 448 | $83,194 |
| Tidewater Community College | 24 | 10 | — | 127 | $79,752 |
| Germanna Community College | 16 | 9 | 3 | 58 | — |
| New River Community College | 16 | 10 | 10 | — | — |
| Virginia Western Community College | 16 | 7 | 5 | 48 | $76,297 |
| Virginia Peninsula Community College | 14 | 10 | 1 | 43 | $73,384 |
| Brightpoint Community College | 13 | 10 | 3 | 68 | — |
| Blue Ridge Community College | 9 | 7 | 5 | — | — |
| Piedmont Virginia Community College | 9 | 5 | 2 | 48 | — |
| Reynolds Community College | 8 | 7 | — | 44 | $74,135 |
| Laurel Ridge Community College | 7 | 4 | 4 | 13 | — |
| Southwest Virginia Community College | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Central Virginia Community College | 3 | 3 | — | 12 | — |
| Danville Community College | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | — |
| Eastern Shore Community College | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| Mountain Empire Community College | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| Virginia Highlands Community College | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| Mountain Gateway Community College | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| Patrick & Henry Community College | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Rappahannock Community College | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
Engineering Availability Snapshot
How engineering sections are being offered across 20 colleges in Virginia this term (216 sections total).
Delivery format
- in person123 (57%)
- online47 (22%)
- zoom26 (12%)
- hybrid20 (9%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)68
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)64
- Evening (5 PM and after)26
- Asynchronous / TBA58
Start dates
Sections begin on 7 distinct dates. 11 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Blue Ridge Community College10 programs
Brightpoint Community College6 programs
Central Virginia Community College2 programs
Danville Community College2 programs
Eastern Shore Community College1 program
1st Session
3rd Session
5th Session
- PHY 241University Physics I(4 cr)not offered
6th Session
7th Session
8th Session
- ELEC XXX***Recommended MTH 267 - Differential Equationsnot offered
Source: College catalog
Germanna Community College7 programs
Laurel Ridge Community College4 programs
Mountain Empire Community College1 program
FIRST YEAR FALL:
- ENG 111College Composition I9 sections
- HIS 101Western Civilizations Pre-1600 CE2 sections
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- HIS 102Western Civilizations Post-1600 CE2 sections
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- HIS 121United States History to 18774 sections
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- HIS 122United States History Since 18653 sections
- EGR 121Foundations of Engineering1 section
- CHM 111General Chemistry I2 sections
- MTH 263Calculus I1 section
- SDV 101Orientation to16 sections
FIRST YEAR SPRING:
SECOND YEAR FALL:
SECOND YEAR SPRING:
Source: College catalog
New River Community College6 programs
Northern Virginia Community College6 programs
Piedmont Virginia Community College2 programs
Rappahannock Community College2 programs
Reynolds Community College1 program
Powered by Modern Campus Catalog™.
Detailed course requirements are not yet available for this program. View in college catalog
Source: College catalog
Southwest Virginia Community College2 programs
Tidewater Community College7 programs
Virginia Highlands Community College1 program
Recommended Course Sequence
66 credits- MTH 263Calculus I(4 cr)1 section
- CHM 111General Chemistry I(4 cr)6 sections
- EGR 121Foundations of Engineering(2 cr)1 section
- ENG 111College Composition I(3 cr)15 sections
- HIS 121or HIS 122 United States History to 1877 or United States History Since 1865(3 cr)5 sections
- SDV 101Orientation to College Success(1 cr)13 sections
- MTH 264Calculus II(4 cr)not offered
- MTH 266Linear Algebra(3 cr)not offered
- EGR 122Engineering Design(3 cr)not offered
- ENG 112College Composition II(3 cr)5 sections
- MTH 267Differential Equations(3 cr)1 section
- PHY 241University Physics I(4 cr)2 sections
- MTH 265Calculus III(4 cr)not offered
- PHY 242University Physics II(4 cr)not offered
- ENG 245or ENG 246 British Literature or American Literature(3 cr)2 sections
Source: College catalog
Virginia Peninsula Community College6 programs
Virginia Western Community College6 programs
Wytheville Community College1 program
First Semester
- ELEC XXXHUM ELE Any LIT or ART or HUM1 PHI 220 preferred 3 creditsnot offered
Second Semester
- ELEC XXXSOC ELE Social & Behavioral Science Elective 3not offered
Third Semester
- ELEC XXXHIS ELE History Elective 3not offered
Fourth Semester
- ELEC XXXHUM ELE Any LIT or ART or HUM 3not offered
Source: College catalog
Common Engineering courses
- EGR 121Foundations of Engineering(48 sections)
- EGR 122Engineering Design(29 sections)
- EGR 240Statics(25 sections)
- EGR 271Electric Circuits I(25 sections)
- EGR 125Introduction to Computer Programming for Engineers(18 sections)
- EGR 206Engineering Economics(13 sections)
- EGR 270Fundamentals of Computer Engineering(13 sections)
- EGR 246Mechanics of Materials(12 sections)
- EGR 245Dynamics(11 sections)
- EGR 272Electric Circuits II(9 sections)
- EGR 248Thermodynamics for Engineering(4 sections)
- EGR 280Foundations of Environmental Engineering(3 sections)
Career outlook for Engineering graduates
Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for the primary career outcome of this program (2024 OEWS release). Compare Virginia’s typical pay to the national picture before choosing where to study.
Virginia's typical pay for this occupation is roughly in line with the national picture.
Wage data reflects all workers in the occupation, not just recent CC graduates — entry-level pay is typically lower. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I become an engineer with just an associate degree?
- Not in the licensed-engineer sense — the P.E. (Professional Engineer) license requires a bachelor's from an ABET-accredited program. But you can absolutely work as an engineering technologist, engineering technician, or specialized field role (CAD drafter, surveying technician, manufacturing technician) with the AAS in engineering technology.
- Does the pre-engineering associate transfer cleanly to a four-year program?
- Largely yes if you follow the structured pre-engineering pathway — Calculus I/II/III, Differential Equations, Physics with Calculus, Chemistry I, and intro engineering. Programs vary in which discipline they're best aligned to (mechanical vs electrical vs civil); confirm with the target four-year school before enrolling. Engineering majors are tightly sequenced and a missing prerequisite can cost a semester.
- What's the difference between engineering and engineering technology?
- Engineering programs focus on theory and design — you'll work as a P.E. designing new systems. Engineering technology programs focus on applying existing designs — you'll work as a technician building, testing, or maintaining systems engineers have specified. Both are good careers; ET grads earn solid wages and don't need a bachelor's.
- Is the math required for engineering at a community college?
- Yes, and that's one of the strongest reasons to start at CC. The Calculus I → II → III → Differential Equations sequence is the same content at CC and four-year, but CC class sizes are smaller and tuition is much lower. Many engineering students who struggled with high-school math intentionally take the calculus sequence at CC before transferring.
Compare Engineering programs in other states
Same comparison view, different state systems. Useful if you’re considering an out-of-state community college or just want to see how Virginia’s engineering programs stack up.
Other programs in Virginia
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.