32 Best colleges for Literature in Virginia

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Virginia ranked based on their research performance in Literature. A graph of 328K citations received by 20.4K academic papers made by 32 universities in Virginia was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. University of Virginia

Charlottesville

For Literature

#26 in the United States

#30 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 44%

2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Literature

#56 in the United States

#67 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1330
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 69%

3. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Literature

#83 in the United States

#98 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 80%

4. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Literature

#150 in the United States

#175 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 1150
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 100%

5. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Literature

#152 in the United States

#177 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Average SAT: 1438
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 54%

6. Marymount University

Arlington

For Literature

#173 in the United States

#201 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Net Price: $28,147
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $28,003

7. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Literature

#174 in the United States

#202 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1200
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 94%

8. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Literature

#183 in the United States

#212 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $35,263

9. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Literature

#246 in the United States

#280 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 89%

10. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Literature

#294 in the United States

#330 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Average SAT: 1150
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $18,314

11. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Literature

#309 in the United States

#345 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $24,667

12. Radford University

Radford

For Literature

#413 in the United States

#456 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1060
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 99%

13. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Literature

#488 in the United States

#536 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 1,235
Male:Female: 34:66
Founded: 1973

14. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Literature

#497 in the United States

#547 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 99%

15. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Literature

#537 in the United States

#590 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Net Price: $29,692
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $12,023

16. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Literature

#576 in the United States

#633 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1200
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 77%

17. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Literature

#620 in the United States

#678 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1105
Net Price: $22,921
Receiving Aid: 100%

18. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Literature

#640 in the United States

#698 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $29,058

19. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Literature

#642 in the United States

#700 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average SAT: 1135
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $21,714

20. Longwood University

Farmville

For Literature

#651 in the United States

#710 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 100%

21. Hampton University

Hampton

For Literature

#693 in the United States

#754 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average SAT: 1042
Average ACT: 18
Net Price: $28,576

22. Roanoke College

Salem

For Literature

#724 in the United States

#787 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1180
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $27,695

23. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Literature

#755 in the United States

#819 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 970
Average ACT: 19
Receiving Aid: 97%

24. Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond

For Literature

#756 in the United States

#820 in North America

Enrollment: 173
Male:Female: 35:65

25. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Literature

#787 in the United States

#853 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1145
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $29,578

26. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Literature

#808 in the United States

#874 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1215
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $23,444

27. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Literature

#813 in the United States

#879 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 925
Average ACT: 17
Receiving Aid: 92%

28. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Literature

#828 in the United States

#895 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Net Price: $26,400
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,100

29. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Literature

#829 in the United States

#896 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1150
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 89%

30. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Literature

#939 in the United States

#1010 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $21,862

31. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Literature

#955 in the United States

#1026 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $24,710
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $30,242

32. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Literature

#984 in the United States

#1056 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1205
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $25,598

Closest to Virginia states to learn Literature

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	3	139
District of Columbia	9	52
North Carolina	29	25
Maryland	20	21
Pennsylvania	67	16
South Carolina	15	71
Ohio	39	13
New Jersey	20	19
Kentucky	17	75
Tennessee	18	45
Georgia	29	42
Indiana	23	20
New York	101	3
Connecticut	15	7
Rhode Island	7	63
Massachusetts	48	4
Alabama	15	91
Vermont	5	142
Illinois	48	11
Michigan	26	5
New Hampshire	8	94
Florida	28	38
Mississippi	7	178
Wisconsin	19	15
Missouri	19	46
Maine	7	187
Arkansas	10	107
Iowa	12	37
Louisiana	17	53
Minnesota	22	22
Kansas	8	64
Oklahoma	9	95
Nebraska	7	92
South Dakota	5	370
Texas	57	8
North Dakota	2	218
Colorado	17	41
New Mexico	4	101
Puerto Rico	3	575
Utah	6	51
Arizona	6	28
Idaho	3	223
Washington	17	10
Oregon	13	73
California	85	1
Hawaii	4	108

Closest to Virginia states to learn Literature

Art & Design subfields in Virginia