29 Best colleges for Optical Engineering in Virginia

Updated: February 29, 2024

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 1.57M citations received by 58.4K 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 Optical Engineering

#51 in the United States

#56 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 54%

2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Optical Engineering

#54 in the United States

#59 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1335
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 71%

3. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Optical Engineering

#124 in the United States

#146 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1160
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 90%

4. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Optical Engineering

#141 in the United States

#164 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1170
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 92%

5. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Optical Engineering

#162 in the United States

#186 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 80%

6. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Optical Engineering

#171 in the United States

#195 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Average SAT: 1448
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 79%

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Optical Engineering

#213 in the United States

#242 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Net Price: $24,664
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $26,190

8. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Optical Engineering

#262 in the United States

#297 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 940
Average ACT: 18
Receiving Aid: 95%

9. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Optical Engineering

#271 in the United States

#307 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 1,319
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1973

10. Hampton University

Hampton

For Optical Engineering

#280 in the United States

#316 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1030
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $32,421

11. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Optical Engineering

#331 in the United States

#375 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 58%

12. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Optical Engineering

#380 in the United States

#426 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Average SAT: 1464
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $29,248

13. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Optical Engineering

#501 in the United States

#555 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1195
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 77%

14. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Optical Engineering

#591 in the United States

#647 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1472
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $24,733

15. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Optical Engineering

#634 in the United States

#690 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 930
Average ACT: 16
Receiving Aid: 92%

16. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Optical Engineering

#675 in the United States

#731 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1203
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 85%

17. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Optical Engineering

#722 in the United States

#782 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Net Price: $20,834
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $31,643

18. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Optical Engineering

#735 in the United States

#795 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Average SAT: 1140
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $17,341

19. Radford University

Radford

For Optical Engineering

#745 in the United States

#806 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 1060
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 98%

20. Roanoke College

Salem

For Optical Engineering

#761 in the United States

#823 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1165
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $29,169

21. Longwood University

Farmville

For Optical Engineering

#791 in the United States

#853 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1115
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 97%

22. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Optical Engineering

#796 in the United States

#858 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1255
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 94%

23. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Optical Engineering

#806 in the United States

#868 in North America

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

24. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Optical Engineering

#813 in the United States

#875 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Average SAT: 1175
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $29,899

25. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Optical Engineering

#826 in the United States

#889 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Net Price: $26,143
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $23,467

26. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Optical Engineering

#875 in the United States

#940 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Net Price: $29,913
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $12,471

27. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Optical Engineering

#881 in the United States

#946 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 2,446
Male:Female: 42:58

28. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Optical Engineering

#897 in the United States

#962 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average SAT: 1115
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $23,256

29. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Optical Engineering

#906 in the United States

#971 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1190
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $28,408

Closest to Virginia states to learn Optical Engineering

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	6	121
District of Columbia	8	95
North Carolina	24	34
Maryland	21	12
Pennsylvania	66	16
South Carolina	15	83
Ohio	38	28
New Jersey	18	15
Kentucky	10	79
Tennessee	24	66
Georgia	25	14
Indiana	20	27
New York	92	8
Connecticut	16	29
Rhode Island	5	61
Massachusetts	46	2
Alabama	19	87
Vermont	4	149
Illinois	38	7
Michigan	23	5
New Hampshire	8	99
Florida	31	30
Mississippi	8	135
Wisconsin	22	17
Missouri	18	49
Maine	7	185
Arkansas	9	112
Iowa	10	40
Louisiana	18	78
Minnesota	19	23
Kansas	9	96
Oklahoma	10	97
Nebraska	7	81
South Dakota	7	252
Texas	53	13
North Dakota	3	197
Colorado	15	31
New Mexico	6	70
Puerto Rico	9	260
Montana	3	147
Utah	7	36
Arizona	5	21
Idaho	4	168
Washington	16	10
Oregon	15	88
California	77	1
Alaska	3	216
Hawaii	4	128