42 Best colleges for History 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 History. A graph of 2.28M citations received by 100K academic papers made by 42 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 History

#36 in the United States

#40 in North America

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

2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For History

#50 in the United States

#57 in North America

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

3. George Mason University

Fairfax

For History

#75 in the United States

#90 in North America

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

4. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For History

#117 in the United States

#138 in North America

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

5. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For History

#134 in the United States

#157 in North America

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

6. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For History

#157 in the United States

#181 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For History

#184 in the United States

#212 in North America

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

8. University of Richmond

Richmond

For History

#208 in the United States

#237 in North America

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

9. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For History

#212 in the United States

#241 in North America

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

10. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For History

#408 in the United States

#455 in North America

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

11. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For History

#443 in the United States

#492 in North America

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

12. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For History

#445 in the United States

#494 in North America

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

13. Radford University

Radford

For History

#491 in the United States

#543 in North America

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

14. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For History

#554 in the United States

#608 in North America

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

15. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For History

#583 in the United States

#639 in North America

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

16. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For History

#595 in the United States

#652 in North America

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

17. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For History

#669 in the United States

#732 in North America

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

18. Longwood University

Farmville

For History

#732 in the United States

#799 in North America

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

19. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For History

#773 in the United States

#840 in North America

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

20. Hampton University

Hampton

For History

#775 in the United States

#843 in North America

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

21. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For History

#783 in the United States

#852 in North America

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

22. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For History

#787 in the United States

#856 in North America

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

23. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For History

#795 in the United States

#864 in North America

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

24. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For History

#803 in the United States

#873 in North America

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

25. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For History

#834 in the United States

#904 in North America

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

26. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For History

#835 in the United States

#905 in North America

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

27. Roanoke College

Salem

For History

#840 in the United States

#910 in North America

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

28. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For History

#858 in the United States

#929 in North America

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

29. Stratford University

Fairfax

For History

#891 in the United States

#963 in North America

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

30. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For History

#956 in the United States

#1029 in North America

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

31. Hollins University

Roanoke

For History

#1018 in the United States

#1091 in North America

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

32. Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond

For History

#1020 in the United States

#1093 in North America

Enrollment: 159
Male:Female: 33:67

33. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For History

#1055 in the United States

#1129 in North America

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

34. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For History

#1084 in the United States

#1159 in North America

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

35. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For History

#1101 in the United States

#1176 in North America

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

36. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For History

#1110 in the United States

#1185 in North America

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

37. University of Virginia's College at Wise

Wise

For History

#1176 in the United States

#1252 in North America

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

38. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For History

#1233 in the United States

#1310 in North America

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

39. Virginia Union University

Richmond

For History

#1295 in the United States

#1377 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Average SAT: 868
Net Price: $11,483
Receiving Aid: 88%

40. Ferrum College

Ferrum

For History

#1316 in the United States

#1398 in North America

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

41. University of Management and Technology

Arlington

For History

#1317 in the United States

#1399 in North America

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

42. Averett University

Danville

For History

#1386 in the United States

#1472 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $23,471

Closest to Virginia states to learn History

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	16	101
District of Columbia	10	51
North Carolina	46	22
Maryland	26	18
Pennsylvania	97	14
South Carolina	26	73
Ohio	59	19
New Jersey	27	20
Kentucky	24	60
Tennessee	33	54
Georgia	46	40
Indiana	32	34
New York	129	6
Connecticut	20	8
Rhode Island	9	65
Massachusetts	69	2
Alabama	24	94
Vermont	10	119
Illinois	74	12
Michigan	38	4
New Hampshire	11	84
Florida	49	23
Mississippi	12	156
Wisconsin	31	11
Missouri	39	39
Maine	13	163
Arkansas	17	128
Iowa	28	44
Louisiana	24	69
Minnesota	26	21
Kansas	15	76
Oklahoma	18	91
Nebraska	11	62
South Dakota	8	254
Texas	75	17
North Dakota	7	209
Colorado	21	47
New Mexico	7	95
Puerto Rico	13	437
Montana	7	132
Utah	10	46
Arizona	10	28
Idaho	7	141
Nevada	6	131
Washington	26	5
Oregon	18	64
California	123	1
Alaska	4	155
Hawaii	6	88