29 Best colleges for Development Studies 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 Development Studies. A graph of 1.18M citations received by 45.4K academic papers made by 29 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. University of Virginia

Charlottesville

For Development Studies

#42 in the United States

#48 in North America

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

2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Development Studies

#70 in the United States

#79 in North America

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

3. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Development Studies

#74 in the United States

#83 in North America

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

4. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Development Studies

#81 in the United States

#93 in North America

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

5. Marymount University

Arlington

For Development Studies

#134 in the United States

#154 in North America

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

6. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Development Studies

#162 in the United States

#183 in North America

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

7. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Development Studies

#163 in the United States

#185 in North America

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

8. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Development Studies

#201 in the United States

#228 in North America

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

9. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Development Studies

#240 in the United States

#270 in North America

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

10. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Development Studies

#314 in the United States

#349 in North America

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

11. Radford University

Radford

For Development Studies

#410 in the United States

#452 in North America

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

12. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Development Studies

#417 in the United States

#459 in North America

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

13. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Development Studies

#538 in the United States

#588 in North America

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

14. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Development Studies

#587 in the United States

#642 in North America

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

15. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Development Studies

#595 in the United States

#651 in North America

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

16. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Development Studies

#598 in the United States

#654 in North America

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

17. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Development Studies

#603 in the United States

#659 in North America

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

18. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Development Studies

#614 in the United States

#671 in North America

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

19. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Development Studies

#665 in the United States

#725 in North America

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

20. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Development Studies

#717 in the United States

#780 in North America

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

21. Longwood University

Farmville

For Development Studies

#727 in the United States

#790 in North America

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

22. Hampton University

Hampton

For Development Studies

#732 in the United States

#796 in North America

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

23. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Development Studies

#739 in the United States

#803 in North America

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

24. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Development Studies

#776 in the United States

#841 in North America

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

25. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Development Studies

#793 in the United States

#859 in North America

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

26. Roanoke College

Salem

For Development Studies

#907 in the United States

#977 in North America

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

27. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Development Studies

#1039 in the United States

#1112 in North America

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

28. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Development Studies

#1068 in the United States

#1142 in North America

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

29. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Development Studies

#1139 in the United States

#1215 in North America

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

Closest to Virginia states to learn Development Studies

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	9	101
District of Columbia	9	40
North Carolina	33	9
Maryland	24	3
Pennsylvania	83	8
South Carolina	20	62
Ohio	44	20
New Jersey	21	26
Kentucky	21	57
Tennessee	24	38
Georgia	34	35
Indiana	26	41
New York	110	6
Connecticut	19	12
Rhode Island	9	45
Massachusetts	58	1
Alabama	19	67
Vermont	7	128
Illinois	53	10
Michigan	25	2
New Hampshire	10	63
Florida	37	31
Mississippi	10	181
Wisconsin	27	15
Missouri	25	47
Maine	9	234
Arkansas	13	141
Iowa	15	43
Louisiana	21	92
Minnesota	24	13
Kansas	9	73
Oklahoma	13	116
Nebraska	9	93
South Dakota	8	325
Texas	63	25
North Dakota	5	232
Colorado	17	50
New Mexico	6	89
Puerto Rico	9	574
Montana	4	185
Utah	9	44
Arizona	7	28
Idaho	4	215
Nevada	5	145
Washington	20	5
Oregon	17	64
California	98	4
Alaska	3	309
Hawaii	5	109

Economics subfields in Virginia

Actuarial Science10

Agricultural Economics5

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics15

Environmental Economics7

Finance26

International Economics8

International Relations and Diplomacy10

International Trade10

Investment Banking and Stock trading10

Political Economy13