32 Best colleges for Literature in Virginia

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Virginia ranked based on their research performance in Literature. A graph of 345K citations received by 20.7K 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: 1475
Average ACT: 34
Receiving Aid: 57%

2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Literature

#54 in the United States

#65 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 67%

3. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Literature

#83 in the United States

#98 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 79%

4. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Literature

#147 in the United States

#172 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 1140
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 92%

5. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Literature

#155 in the United States

#180 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Average SAT: 1465
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 55%

6. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Literature

#173 in the United States

#202 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1190
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 94%

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Literature

#174 in the United States

#203 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Net Price: $31,989
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $26,069

8. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Literature

#183 in the United States

#212 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $30,037

9. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Literature

#247 in the United States

#281 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1255
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 58%

10. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Literature

#300 in the United States

#336 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Average SAT: 1120
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $20,512

11. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Literature

#310 in the United States

#346 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Average SAT: 1485
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $23,055

12. Radford University

Radford

For Literature

#408 in the United States

#451 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1050
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 96%

13. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Literature

#482 in the United States

#530 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 1,216
Male:Female: 34:66
Founded: 1973

14. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Literature

#493 in the United States

#543 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1270
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 99%

15. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Literature

#533 in the United States

#587 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Net Price: $29,532
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $12,489

16. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Literature

#564 in the United States

#620 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1175
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 78%

17. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Literature

#626 in the United States

#684 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Average SAT: 1105
Net Price: $23,845
Receiving Aid: 100%

18. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Literature

#643 in the United States

#702 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1100
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $28,912

19. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Literature

#644 in the United States

#703 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1137
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $21,446

20. Longwood University

Farmville

For Literature

#666 in the United States

#725 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1120
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 99%

21. Hampton University

Hampton

For Literature

#697 in the United States

#759 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Average SAT: 940
Average ACT: 18
Net Price: $27,428

22. Roanoke College

Salem

For Literature

#725 in the United States

#790 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1195
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $26,044

23. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Literature

#756 in the United States

#822 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 927
Average ACT: 19
Receiving Aid: 94%

24. Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond

For Literature

#769 in the United States

#835 in North America

Enrollment: 159
Male:Female: 33:67

25. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Literature

#793 in the United States

#859 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Average SAT: 1140
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $29,717

26. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Literature

#805 in the United States

#871 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 955
Average ACT: 17
Receiving Aid: 92%

27. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Literature

#816 in the United States

#882 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1245
Net Price: $22,605
Receiving Aid: 100%

28. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Literature

#826 in the United States

#894 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1160
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 96%

29. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Literature

#829 in the United States

#897 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Net Price: $27,181
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,747

30. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Literature

#942 in the United States

#1013 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Net Price: $21,267
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $29,923

31. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Literature

#957 in the United States

#1028 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $25,021
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $32,378

32. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Literature

#984 in the United States

#1056 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1205
Net Price: $21,322
Receiving Aid: 99%

Closest to Virginia states to learn Literature

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	3	134
District of Columbia	9	51
North Carolina	29	24
Maryland	20	20
Pennsylvania	68	16
South Carolina	15	72
Ohio	39	13
New Jersey	20	19
Kentucky	17	78
Tennessee	18	46
Georgia	29	42
Indiana	23	21
New York	101	3
Connecticut	15	7
Rhode Island	7	63
Massachusetts	48	4
Alabama	15	90
Vermont	5	143
Illinois	48	11
Michigan	26	5
New Hampshire	8	94
Florida	28	38
Mississippi	8	178
Wisconsin	19	15
Missouri	19	45
Maine	7	188
Arkansas	10	108
Iowa	12	37
Louisiana	17	56
Minnesota	22	22
Kansas	8	64
Oklahoma	9	95
Nebraska	7	93
South Dakota	5	369
Texas	57	8
North Dakota	2	216
Colorado	17	41
New Mexico	4	102
Puerto Rico	3	589
Utah	6	52
Arizona	6	28
Idaho	3	218
Washington	17	10
Oregon	13	74
California	85	1
Hawaii	5	107

Closest to Virginia states to learn Literature

Art & Design subfields in Virginia