39 Best colleges for Ecology 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 Ecology. A graph of 3.52M citations received by 97.2K academic papers made by 39 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 Ecology

#39 in the United States

#44 in North America

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

2. University of Virginia

Charlottesville

For Ecology

#55 in the United States

#62 in North America

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

3. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Ecology

#113 in the United States

#136 in North America

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

4. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Ecology

#123 in the United States

#146 in North America

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

5. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Ecology

#147 in the United States

#173 in North America

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

6. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Ecology

#153 in the United States

#179 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Ecology

#213 in the United States

#249 in North America

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

8. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Ecology

#276 in the United States

#318 in North America

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

9. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Ecology

#288 in the United States

#333 in North America

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

10. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Ecology

#375 in the United States

#427 in North America

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

11. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Ecology

#452 in the United States

#504 in North America

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

12. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Ecology

#468 in the United States

#521 in North America

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

13. Radford University

Radford

For Ecology

#508 in the United States

#564 in North America

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

14. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Ecology

#527 in the United States

#583 in North America

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

15. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Ecology

#546 in the United States

#603 in North America

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

16. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Ecology

#618 in the United States

#679 in North America

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

17. Hampton University

Hampton

For Ecology

#637 in the United States

#700 in North America

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

18. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Ecology

#711 in the United States

#777 in North America

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

19. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Ecology

#718 in the United States

#785 in North America

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

20. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Ecology

#738 in the United States

#805 in North America

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

21. Longwood University

Farmville

For Ecology

#753 in the United States

#820 in North America

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

22. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Ecology

#798 in the United States

#866 in North America

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

23. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Ecology

#799 in the United States

#867 in North America

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

24. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Ecology

#830 in the United States

#899 in North America

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

25. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Ecology

#860 in the United States

#930 in North America

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

26. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Ecology

#865 in the United States

#935 in North America

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

27. Roanoke College

Salem

For Ecology

#881 in the United States

#952 in North America

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

28. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Ecology

#901 in the United States

#972 in North America

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

29. Ferrum College

Ferrum

For Ecology

#957 in the United States

#1028 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Net Price: $20,082
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $34,444

30. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Ecology

#964 in the United States

#1035 in North America

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

31. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Ecology

#1094 in the United States

#1169 in North America

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

32. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Ecology

#1113 in the United States

#1190 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1245
Net Price: $22,605
Receiving Aid: 100%

33. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Ecology

#1115 in the United States

#1192 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Net Price: $21,267
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $29,923

34. University of Virginia's College at Wise

Wise

For Ecology

#1164 in the United States

#1241 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1033
Average ACT: 20
Receiving Aid: 99%

35. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Ecology

#1216 in the United States

#1294 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $25,021
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $32,378

36. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For Ecology

#1221 in the United States

#1299 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $17,810
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $28,135

37. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Ecology

#1227 in the United States

#1306 in North America

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

38. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For Ecology

#1240 in the United States

#1319 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 1155
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $21,668

39. University of Management and Technology

Arlington

For Ecology

#1291 in the United States

#1373 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $8,987
Receiving Aid: 0%
Average Aid: $4,680

Closest to Virginia states to learn Ecology

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	16	111
District of Columbia	8	106
North Carolina	38	21
Maryland	25	23
Delaware	3	69
Pennsylvania	84	13
South Carolina	22	84
Ohio	51	15
New Jersey	21	31
Kentucky	16	59
Tennessee	27	48
Georgia	36	20
Indiana	28	30
New York	114	3
Connecticut	20	16
Rhode Island	9	80
Massachusetts	60	2
Alabama	22	68
Vermont	8	107
Illinois	56	11
Michigan	30	8
New Hampshire	11	95
Florida	44	6
Mississippi	12	87
Wisconsin	27	9
Missouri	29	57
Maine	15	98
Arkansas	16	102
Iowa	20	29
Louisiana	22	58
Minnesota	26	10
Kansas	11	56
Oklahoma	16	78
Nebraska	12	43
South Dakota	8	145
Texas	68	17
North Dakota	6	131
Colorado	18	26
New Mexico	8	77
Puerto Rico	11	252
Montana	8	83
Utah	10	50
Arizona	8	19
Idaho	7	92
Nevada	7	109
Washington	26	5
Oregon	16	24
California	108	1
Alaska	4	76
Hawaii	7	70