40 Best colleges for Geology 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 Geology. A graph of 4.24M citations received by 126K academic papers made by 40 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 Geology

#46 in the United States

#51 in North America

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

2. University of Virginia

Charlottesville

For Geology

#59 in the United States

#68 in North America

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

3. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Geology

#118 in the United States

#139 in North America

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

4. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Geology

#145 in the United States

#170 in North America

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

5. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Geology

#146 in the United States

#171 in North America

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

6. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Geology

#154 in the United States

#180 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Geology

#171 in the United States

#199 in North America

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

8. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Geology

#285 in the United States

#328 in North America

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

9. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Geology

#297 in the United States

#343 in North America

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

10. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Geology

#322 in the United States

#370 in North America

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

11. Hampton University

Hampton

For Geology

#388 in the United States

#439 in North America

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

12. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Geology

#556 in the United States

#611 in North America

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

13. Radford University

Radford

For Geology

#559 in the United States

#614 in North America

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

14. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Geology

#612 in the United States

#670 in North America

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

15. Longwood University

Farmville

For Geology

#627 in the United States

#687 in North America

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

16. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Geology

#647 in the United States

#709 in North America

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

17. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Geology

#648 in the United States

#710 in North America

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

18. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Geology

#669 in the United States

#731 in North America

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

19. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Geology

#671 in the United States

#733 in North America

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

20. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Geology

#703 in the United States

#767 in North America

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

21. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Geology

#707 in the United States

#771 in North America

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

22. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Geology

#722 in the United States

#786 in North America

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

23. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Geology

#727 in the United States

#791 in North America

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

24. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Geology

#813 in the United States

#880 in North America

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

25. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Geology

#838 in the United States

#906 in North America

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

26. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Geology

#847 in the United States

#915 in North America

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

27. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Geology

#866 in the United States

#934 in North America

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

28. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Geology

#929 in the United States

#998 in North America

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

29. Roanoke College

Salem

For Geology

#935 in the United States

#1004 in North America

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

30. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Geology

#993 in the United States

#1064 in North America

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

31. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Geology

#1079 in the United States

#1154 in North America

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

32. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For Geology

#1081 in the United States

#1156 in North America

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

33. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Geology

#1110 in the United States

#1185 in North America

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

34. University of Virginia's College at Wise

Wise

For Geology

#1153 in the United States

#1229 in North America

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

35. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Geology

#1177 in the United States

#1254 in North America

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

36. Ferrum College

Ferrum

For Geology

#1264 in the United States

#1342 in North America

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

37. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Geology

#1298 in the United States

#1377 in North America

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

38. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For Geology

#1317 in the United States

#1396 in North America

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

39. University of Management and Technology

Arlington

For Geology

#1360 in the United States

#1442 in North America

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

40. Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond

For Geology

#1376 in the United States

#1458 in North America

Enrollment: 159
Male:Female: 33:67

Closest to Virginia states to learn Geology

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	15	115
District of Columbia	9	123
North Carolina	38	33
Maryland	25	21
Pennsylvania	90	12
South Carolina	25	86
Ohio	54	18
New Jersey	23	25
Kentucky	22	67
Tennessee	30	56
Georgia	38	39
Indiana	30	29
New York	123	7
Connecticut	20	19
Rhode Island	9	61
Massachusetts	63	1
Alabama	24	94
Vermont	10	128
Illinois	65	10
Michigan	29	5
New Hampshire	11	91
Florida	47	16
Mississippi	13	114
Wisconsin	27	8
Missouri	30	43
Maine	14	126
Arkansas	16	130
Iowa	22	47
Louisiana	22	58
Minnesota	25	13
Kansas	12	55
Oklahoma	17	64
Nebraska	12	63
South Dakota	8	188
Texas	70	15
North Dakota	7	173
Colorado	18	24
New Mexico	8	83
Puerto Rico	13	261
Montana	8	97
Utah	11	42
Arizona	9	20
Idaho	7	127
Nevada	7	109
Washington	29	3
Oregon	17	37
California	113	2
Alaska	4	85
Hawaii	7	70