37 Best colleges for Paleontology 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 Paleontology. A graph of 2.7M citations received by 77.4K 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: 55%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 67%

2. University of Virginia

Charlottesville

For Paleontology

#59 in the United States

#67 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1475
Average ACT: 34
Receiving Aid: 57%

3. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Paleontology

#134 in the United States

#156 in North America

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

4. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Paleontology

#146 in the United States

#168 in North America

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

5. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Paleontology

#169 in the United States

#195 in North America

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

6. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Paleontology

#184 in the United States

#212 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Paleontology

#185 in the United States

#213 in North America

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

8. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Paleontology

#264 in the United States

#300 in North America

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

9. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Paleontology

#274 in the United States

#312 in North America

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

10. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Paleontology

#319 in the United States

#365 in North America

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

11. Radford University

Radford

For Paleontology

#511 in the United States

#563 in North America

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

12. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Paleontology

#530 in the United States

#582 in North America

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

13. Hampton University

Hampton

For Paleontology

#583 in the United States

#637 in North America

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

14. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Paleontology

#626 in the United States

#684 in North America

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

15. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Paleontology

#648 in the United States

#707 in North America

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

16. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Paleontology

#658 in the United States

#717 in North America

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

17. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Paleontology

#659 in the United States

#718 in North America

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

18. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Paleontology

#671 in the United States

#730 in North America

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

19. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Paleontology

#677 in the United States

#737 in North America

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

20. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Paleontology

#697 in the United States

#757 in North America

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

21. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Paleontology

#715 in the United States

#776 in North America

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

22. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Paleontology

#767 in the United States

#830 in North America

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

23. Longwood University

Farmville

For Paleontology

#768 in the United States

#831 in North America

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

24. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Paleontology

#769 in the United States

#832 in North America

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

25. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Paleontology

#808 in the United States

#875 in North America

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

26. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Paleontology

#823 in the United States

#890 in North America

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

27. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Paleontology

#840 in the United States

#907 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 2,617
Male:Female: 40:60

28. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Paleontology

#864 in the United States

#931 in North America

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

29. Roanoke College

Salem

For Paleontology

#927 in the United States

#994 in North America

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

30. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Paleontology

#955 in the United States

#1023 in North America

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

31. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Paleontology

#1005 in the United States

#1076 in North America

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

32. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For Paleontology

#1023 in the United States

#1095 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 1155
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $21,668

33. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Paleontology

#1100 in the United States

#1174 in North America

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

34. University of Virginia's College at Wise

Wise

For Paleontology

#1157 in the United States

#1232 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1033
Average ACT: 20
Receiving Aid: 99%

35. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Paleontology

#1217 in the United States

#1294 in North America

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

36. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Paleontology

#1235 in the United States

#1312 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 1190
Net Price: $11,316
Receiving Aid: 100%

37. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For Paleontology

#1240 in the United States

#1317 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $17,810
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $28,135

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	85	17
South Carolina	23	95
Ohio	49	20
New Jersey	21	28
Kentucky	20	63
Tennessee	27	55
Georgia	33	30
Indiana	27	41
New York	113	5
Connecticut	20	13
Rhode Island	9	57
Massachusetts	60	1
Alabama	22	80
Vermont	6	114
Illinois	57	12
Michigan	28	6
New Hampshire	11	88
Florida	40	15
Mississippi	10	133
Wisconsin	27	7
Missouri	28	24
Maine	12	140
Arkansas	15	121
Iowa	18	42
Louisiana	20	60
Minnesota	24	11
Kansas	11	78
Oklahoma	15	82
Nebraska	12	84
South Dakota	8	214
Texas	63	18
North Dakota	5	186
Colorado	18	39
New Mexico	6	79
Puerto Rico	13	302
Montana	6	85
Utah	9	34
Arizona	7	22
Idaho	6	130
Nevada	7	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