29 Best colleges for Development Studies 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 Development Studies. A graph of 1.13M citations received by 44.3K 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: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 44%

2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Development Studies

#69 in the United States

#78 in North America

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

3. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Development Studies

#74 in the United States

#83 in North America

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

4. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Development Studies

#81 in the United States

#93 in North America

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

5. Marymount University

Arlington

For Development Studies

#134 in the United States

#154 in North America

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

6. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Development Studies

#162 in the United States

#183 in North America

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

7. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Development Studies

#164 in the United States

#186 in North America

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

8. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Development Studies

#201 in the United States

#228 in North America

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

9. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Development Studies

#239 in the United States

#269 in North America

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

10. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Development Studies

#315 in the United States

#350 in North America

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

11. Radford University

Radford

For Development Studies

#413 in the United States

#454 in North America

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

12. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Development Studies

#414 in the United States

#455 in North America

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

13. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Development Studies

#538 in the United States

#587 in North America

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

14. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Development Studies

#578 in the United States

#632 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

#596 in the United States

#652 in North America

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

16. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Development Studies

#607 in the United States

#663 in North America

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

17. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Development Studies

#612 in the United States

#668 in North America

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

18. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Development Studies

#623 in the United States

#680 in North America

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

19. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Development Studies

#665 in the United States

#725 in North America

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

20. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Development Studies

#713 in the United States

#776 in North America

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

21. Longwood University

Farmville

For Development Studies

#721 in the United States

#784 in North America

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

22. Hampton University

Hampton

For Development Studies

#723 in the United States

#786 in North America

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

23. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Development Studies

#735 in the United States

#799 in North America

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

24. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Development Studies

#777 in the United States

#843 in North America

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

25. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Development Studies

#788 in the United States

#854 in North America

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

26. Roanoke College

Salem

For Development Studies

#903 in the United States

#973 in North America

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

27. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Development Studies

#1063 in the United States

#1137 in North America

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

28. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Development Studies

#1065 in the United States

#1139 in North America

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

29. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Development Studies

#1132 in the United States

#1208 in North America

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

Closest to Virginia states to learn Development Studies

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	9	102
District of Columbia	9	40
North Carolina	33	9
Maryland	24	3
Pennsylvania	83	8
South Carolina	20	63
Ohio	44	20
New Jersey	21	25
Kentucky	21	57
Tennessee	24	38
Georgia	34	35
Indiana	26	41
New York	109	6
Connecticut	20	12
Rhode Island	9	45
Massachusetts	58	1
Alabama	19	68
Vermont	7	129
Illinois	53	10
Michigan	25	2
New Hampshire	10	61
Florida	37	32
Mississippi	10	182
Wisconsin	27	14
Missouri	24	47
Maine	9	234
Arkansas	13	141
Iowa	15	43
Louisiana	21	92
Minnesota	24	13
Kansas	9	73
Oklahoma	13	117
Nebraska	9	93
South Dakota	8	329
Texas	63	26
North Dakota	5	231
Colorado	17	51
New Mexico	6	89
Puerto Rico	9	574
Montana	4	185
Utah	9	44
Arizona	7	28
Idaho	4	221
Nevada	5	147
Washington	20	5
Oregon	17	66
California	98	4
Alaska	3	308
Hawaii	5	106

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