37 Best colleges for Paleontology 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 Paleontology. A graph of 2.6M citations received by 75.9K academic papers made by 37 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.

1. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Paleontology

#47 in the United States

#52 in North America

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

2. University of Virginia

Charlottesville

For Paleontology

#59 in the United States

#67 in North America

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

3. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Paleontology

#135 in the United States

#157 in North America

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

4. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Paleontology

#147 in the United States

#169 in North America

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

5. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Paleontology

#169 in the United States

#195 in North America

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

6. Marymount University

Arlington

For Paleontology

#184 in the United States

#212 in North America

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

7. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Paleontology

#185 in the United States

#213 in North America

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

8. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Paleontology

#263 in the United States

#299 in North America

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

9. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Paleontology

#275 in the United States

#313 in North America

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

10. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Paleontology

#318 in the United States

#364 in North America

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

11. Radford University

Radford

For Paleontology

#511 in the United States

#563 in North America

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

12. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Paleontology

#533 in the United States

#585 in North America

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

13. Hampton University

Hampton

For Paleontology

#585 in the United States

#639 in North America

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

14. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Paleontology

#623 in the United States

#680 in North America

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

15. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Paleontology

#650 in the United States

#709 in North America

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

16. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Paleontology

#656 in the United States

#715 in North America

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

17. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Paleontology

#663 in the United States

#722 in North America

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

18. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Paleontology

#666 in the United States

#725 in North America

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

19. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Paleontology

#680 in the United States

#739 in North America

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

20. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Paleontology

#697 in the United States

#757 in North America

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

21. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Paleontology

#710 in the United States

#771 in North America

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

22. Longwood University

Farmville

For Paleontology

#763 in the United States

#826 in North America

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

23. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Paleontology

#764 in the United States

#827 in North America

Net Price: $23,243
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $4,605
Enrollment: 1,947

24. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Paleontology

#773 in the United States

#836 in North America

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

25. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Paleontology

#806 in the United States

#872 in North America

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

26. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Paleontology

#817 in the United States

#884 in North America

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

27. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Paleontology

#865 in the United States

#932 in North America

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

28. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Paleontology

#880 in the United States

#947 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 2,596
Male:Female: 41:59

29. Roanoke College

Salem

For Paleontology

#929 in the United States

#996 in North America

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

30. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Paleontology

#954 in the United States

#1022 in North America

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

31. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Paleontology

#1012 in the United States

#1083 in North America

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

32. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For Paleontology

#1016 in the United States

#1087 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $20,856

33. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Paleontology

#1093 in the United States

#1166 in North America

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

34. University of Virginia's College at Wise

Wise

For Paleontology

#1160 in the United States

#1235 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 1055
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 100%

35. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Paleontology

#1206 in the United States

#1283 in North America

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

36. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Paleontology

#1229 in the United States

#1306 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1223
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $19,660

37. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For Paleontology

#1232 in the United States

#1309 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $18,838
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $25,673

Closest to Virginia states to learn Paleontology

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	15	115
District of Columbia	8	109
North Carolina	32	25
Maryland	24	14
Pennsylvania	84	17
South Carolina	23	95
Ohio	49	20
New Jersey	21	28
Kentucky	19	63
Tennessee	27	55
Georgia	33	31
Indiana	27	41
New York	112	6
Connecticut	20	13
Rhode Island	8	57
Massachusetts	60	1
Alabama	22	80
Vermont	6	113
Illinois	56	12
Michigan	28	5
New Hampshire	11	88
Florida	40	15
Mississippi	10	134
Wisconsin	27	7
Missouri	27	24
Maine	12	140
Arkansas	15	122
Iowa	18	42
Louisiana	20	60
Minnesota	24	11
Kansas	11	78
Oklahoma	14	82
Nebraska	12	83
South Dakota	8	214
Texas	63	18
North Dakota	5	186
Colorado	18	39
New Mexico	6	79
Puerto Rico	12	303
Montana	6	85
Utah	9	34
Arizona	7	22
Idaho	6	130
Nevada	6	108
Washington	24	3
Oregon	16	45
California	104	2
Alaska	4	110
Hawaii	6	96

Closest to Virginia states to learn Paleontology

Biology subfields in Virginia