30 Best Materials Science schools 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 Materials Science. A graph of 3.53M citations received by 112K academic papers made by 30 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 Materials Science

#34 in the United States

#38 in North America

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

2. University of Virginia

Charlottesville

For Materials Science

#49 in the United States

#54 in North America

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

3. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Materials Science

#109 in the United States

#128 in North America

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

4. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Materials Science

#170 in the United States

#197 in North America

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

5. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Materials Science

#174 in the United States

#202 in North America

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

6. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Materials Science

#191 in the United States

#219 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Materials Science

#195 in the United States

#223 in North America

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

8. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Materials Science

#289 in the United States

#328 in North America

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

9. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Materials Science

#358 in the United States

#404 in North America

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

10. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Materials Science

#361 in the United States

#407 in North America

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

11. Hampton University

Hampton

For Materials Science

#392 in the United States

#441 in North America

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

12. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Materials Science

#399 in the United States

#448 in North America

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

13. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Materials Science

#489 in the United States

#543 in North America

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

14. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Materials Science

#538 in the United States

#592 in North America

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

15. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Materials Science

#547 in the United States

#601 in North America

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

16. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Materials Science

#574 in the United States

#629 in North America

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

17. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Materials Science

#589 in the United States

#644 in North America

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

18. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Materials Science

#618 in the United States

#675 in North America

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

19. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Materials Science

#716 in the United States

#774 in North America

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

20. Radford University

Radford

For Materials Science

#718 in the United States

#776 in North America

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

21. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Materials Science

#728 in the United States

#788 in North America

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

22. Roanoke College

Salem

For Materials Science

#777 in the United States

#839 in North America

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

23. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Materials Science

#791 in the United States

#853 in North America

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

24. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Materials Science

#810 in the United States

#873 in North America

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

25. Longwood University

Farmville

For Materials Science

#832 in the United States

#895 in North America

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

26. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Materials Science

#881 in the United States

#947 in North America

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

27. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Materials Science

#883 in the United States

#949 in North America

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

28. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Materials Science

#884 in the United States

#950 in North America

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

29. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Materials Science

#896 in the United States

#962 in North America

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

30. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Materials Science

#1034 in the United States

#1107 in North America

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

Closest to Virginia states to learn Materials Science

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	11	106
District of Columbia	8	133
North Carolina	27	25
Maryland	23	27
Pennsylvania	79	8
South Carolina	20	71
Ohio	44	21
New Jersey	21	23
Kentucky	15	67
Tennessee	28	50
Georgia	27	7
Indiana	28	13
New York	102	11
Connecticut	19	30
Rhode Island	8	58
Massachusetts	53	1
Alabama	20	91
Vermont	4	131
Illinois	46	6
Michigan	29	5
New Hampshire	8	103
Florida	39	24
Mississippi	11	125
Wisconsin	25	16
Missouri	23	55
Maine	10	165
Arkansas	14	107
Iowa	11	32
Louisiana	21	79
Minnesota	21	17
Kansas	12	92
Oklahoma	15	95
Nebraska	8	75
South Dakota	8	224
Texas	63	10
North Dakota	5	134
Colorado	16	39
New Mexico	8	81
Puerto Rico	12	247
Montana	3	153
Utah	8	41
Arizona	6	36
Idaho	5	151
Nevada	4	120
Washington	20	14
Oregon	15	80
California	87	2
Alaska	3	198
Hawaii	4	147