Beginning in 2018, the General Assembly of Virginia has appropriated $28.4 million annually to increase degree production in Data Science and Technology, Science and Engineering, Healthcare and Education (STEM-H) fields across 14 of the Commonwealth’s public four-year institutions. The General Assembly has included language that details corresponding requirements and expectations for each institution in the appropriation act since 2018. Collectively, the funding aims to produce an annual total of 880 new bachelors, masters, doctoral and first professional degrees above the 2016-2017 academic year baseline of approximately 22,000. As Virginia’s coordinating body for higher education, SCHEV is mandated to track each institution’s progress and reports to the chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees annually.

Since 2017, awardee institutions have produced 5,506 additional STEM-H degrees. However, growth trends have varied both by degree field and institution. Degree production in Data Science and Technology has grown consistently under the initiative, increasing by 99% between 2017 and 2025, whereas other fields have seen fluctuating trends over the same period. Notably, the number of degrees awarded in Science and Engineering has declined by 0.7% and those in Education declined by 7.9% from their 2017 levels.

Across institutions, rates of degree production also have skewed.

• In Data Science and Technology fields, the combined increase in awards from the University of Virginia (UVA) and Virginia Tech (VT) account for 50.5% of total growth for the Commonwealth, while that from George Mason University (GMU) accounts for another 22.7%.

• Degree production in Education has increased consistently at both James Madison University (JMU) and UVA, while other institutions experienced less predictable award rates. Christoper Newport University (CNU), Norfolk State University (NSU), Old Dominion University (ODU), Virginia State University (VSU), and VT decreased degree awards annually.

• Radford University (RU) has contributed considerably to growth in Healthcare degrees following its 2020 merger with the Jefferson College of Health Science.

• VT continues to see the largest growth in Science and Engineering degree production, followed by GMU. However, Longwood University (LU), NSU and ODU reduced degree awards over the 2017 level annually since the funding began.

The following narrative, tables and charts describe the total awards produced by area/field and institution within the context of the General Assembly’s goals.