30 Best colleges for Optical Engineering 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 Optical Engineering. A graph of 2.17M citations received by 65.8K 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. University of Virginia

Charlottesville

For Optical Engineering

#51 in the United States

#56 in North America

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

2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Optical Engineering

#53 in the United States

#58 in North America

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

3. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Optical Engineering

#129 in the United States

#152 in North America

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

4. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Optical Engineering

#140 in the United States

#163 in North America

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

5. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Optical Engineering

#159 in the United States

#183 in North America

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

6. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Optical Engineering

#169 in the United States

#194 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Optical Engineering

#213 in the United States

#242 in North America

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

8. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Optical Engineering

#259 in the United States

#294 in North America

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

9. Hampton University

Hampton

For Optical Engineering

#268 in the United States

#303 in North America

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

10. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Optical Engineering

#272 in the United States

#307 in North America

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

11. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Optical Engineering

#336 in the United States

#380 in North America

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

12. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Optical Engineering

#392 in the United States

#439 in North America

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

13. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Optical Engineering

#503 in the United States

#557 in North America

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

14. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Optical Engineering

#620 in the United States

#676 in North America

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

15. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Optical Engineering

#637 in the United States

#694 in North America

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

16. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Optical Engineering

#644 in the United States

#701 in North America

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

17. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Optical Engineering

#704 in the United States

#763 in North America

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

18. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Optical Engineering

#724 in the United States

#786 in North America

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

19. Radford University

Radford

For Optical Engineering

#773 in the United States

#835 in North America

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

20. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Optical Engineering

#777 in the United States

#839 in North America

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

21. Roanoke College

Salem

For Optical Engineering

#802 in the United States

#865 in North America

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

22. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Optical Engineering

#803 in the United States

#866 in North America

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

23. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Optical Engineering

#812 in the United States

#875 in North America

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

24. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Optical Engineering

#834 in the United States

#898 in North America

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

25. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Optical Engineering

#850 in the United States

#915 in North America

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

26. Longwood University

Farmville

For Optical Engineering

#861 in the United States

#926 in North America

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

27. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Optical Engineering

#880 in the United States

#945 in North America

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

28. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Optical Engineering

#881 in the United States

#946 in North America

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

29. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Optical Engineering

#902 in the United States

#967 in North America

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

30. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Optical Engineering

#921 in the United States

#986 in North America

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

Closest to Virginia states to learn Optical Engineering

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	7	118
District of Columbia	8	94
North Carolina	24	33
Maryland	21	11
Pennsylvania	68	18
South Carolina	15	81
Ohio	40	27
New Jersey	18	14
Kentucky	12	83
Tennessee	25	65
Georgia	26	15
Indiana	22	23
New York	92	9
Connecticut	18	29
Rhode Island	6	59
Massachusetts	50	2
Alabama	19	88
Vermont	4	147
Illinois	40	8
Michigan	26	5
New Hampshire	7	95
Florida	31	30
Mississippi	9	137
Wisconsin	23	16
Missouri	18	48
Maine	7	184
Arkansas	11	114
Iowa	11	45
Louisiana	19	78
Minnesota	19	25
Kansas	9	98
Oklahoma	11	96
Nebraska	7	86
South Dakota	7	246
Texas	55	13
North Dakota	3	195
Colorado	16	32
New Mexico	6	70
Puerto Rico	9	264
Montana	3	146
Utah	7	36
Arizona	5	20
Idaho	4	167
Washington	17	10
Oregon	15	85
California	79	1
Alaska	3	201
Hawaii	4	125