Higher Education, Research and Workforce
Higher education opportunities in the MPA region include the Rappahannock Community College (RCC) in Glenns, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science in Gloucester Point, as well as public and private universities that are within commuting distance. RCC is the preferred training partner for numerous existing businesses in the Middle Peninsula for in-demand occupations.
The Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences conducts research in coastal ocean and estuarine science, educates students and citizens, and is the Commonwealth's designated entity for advisory services to policymakers and industry.
Virginia Sea Grant College (VASG) is a long-standing, seven-university partnership that enables integration, collaboration, and leveraging of the collective coastal and marine capacity to address pressing societal problems in Virginia and the world through scientific research, education, and public outreach.
Higher Education Facilities
| Facility | Fall 2018 Enrollment | Website |
| Primary Partners | ||
| Rappahannock Community College - Glenns Campus | 1,819 | Website |
| SeaGrant College | N/A | Website |
| Virginia Institute of Marine Science | N/A | Website |
| Serving Region | ||
| Christopher Newport University | 4,957 | Website |
| College of William and Mary | 8,817 | Website |
| Hampton University | 4,321 | Website |
| Norfolk State University | 5,204 | Website |
| Old Dominion University | 24,176 | Website |
| Randolph-Macon College | 1,488 | Website |
| Rappahannock Community College - Warsaw Campus | 1,739 | Website |
| Rappahannock Community College - Kilmarnock Center | N/A | Website |
| Rappahannock Community College - New Kent Site | N/A | Website |
| University of Mary Washington | 4,727 | Website |
| University of Richmond | 4,002 | Website |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | 31,076 | Website |
| Virginia Union University | 1,560 | Website |
Workforce Development Facilities
| Type | Website | |
| Fredericksburg Workforce Center | Comprehensive Center | Website |
| Middle Peninsula Job Assistance Center | Satellite Center | Website |
| New Horizons Regional Education Center | Career and Technical Center | Website |
| Peninsula Worklink One-Stop Center | Comprehensive Center | Website |
| Rappahannock Community College - New Kent/Bridging Communities | Career and Technical Center | Website |
| Warsaw Workforce Center | Satellite Center | Website |