42 Best colleges for Philosophy 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 Philosophy. A graph of 2.53M citations received by 124K 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 Philosophy

#40 in the United States

#47 in North America

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

2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Philosophy

#58 in the United States

#71 in North America

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

3. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Philosophy

#83 in the United States

#98 in North America

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

4. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Philosophy

#125 in the United States

#148 in North America

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

5. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Philosophy

#158 in the United States

#183 in North America

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

6. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Philosophy

#177 in the United States

#206 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Philosophy

#187 in the United States

#220 in North America

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

8. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Philosophy

#226 in the United States

#260 in North America

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

9. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Philosophy

#245 in the United States

#280 in North America

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

10. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Philosophy

#382 in the United States

#428 in North America

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

11. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Philosophy

#409 in the United States

#457 in North America

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

12. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Philosophy

#430 in the United States

#479 in North America

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

13. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Philosophy

#514 in the United States

#568 in North America

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

14. Radford University

Radford

For Philosophy

#542 in the United States

#598 in North America

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

15. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Philosophy

#598 in the United States

#659 in North America

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

16. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Philosophy

#622 in the United States

#685 in North America

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

17. Longwood University

Farmville

For Philosophy

#702 in the United States

#767 in North America

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

18. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Philosophy

#707 in the United States

#773 in North America

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

19. Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond

For Philosophy

#740 in the United States

#807 in North America

Enrollment: 177
Male:Female: 35:65

20. Hampton University

Hampton

For Philosophy

#767 in the United States

#835 in North America

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

21. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Philosophy

#776 in the United States

#845 in North America

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

22. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Philosophy

#823 in the United States

#895 in North America

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

23. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Philosophy

#832 in the United States

#904 in North America

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

24. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Philosophy

#841 in the United States

#913 in North America

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

25. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Philosophy

#849 in the United States

#921 in North America

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

26. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Philosophy

#859 in the United States

#931 in North America

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

27. Roanoke College

Salem

For Philosophy

#878 in the United States

#950 in North America

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

28. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Philosophy

#949 in the United States

#1023 in North America

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

29. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Philosophy

#951 in the United States

#1026 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1206
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $21,207

30. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Philosophy

#974 in the United States

#1049 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1120
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $28,389

31. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Philosophy

#1011 in the United States

#1087 in North America

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

32. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Philosophy

#1047 in the United States

#1124 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Net Price: $23,783
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $30,460

33. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Philosophy

#1096 in the United States

#1173 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1278
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $23,046

34. Averett University

Danville

For Philosophy

#1118 in the United States

#1195 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1010
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $23,781

35. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Philosophy

#1128 in the United States

#1205 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $19,332

36. University of Virginia's College at Wise

Wise

For Philosophy

#1197 in the United States

#1277 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1038
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 100%

37. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For Philosophy

#1210 in the United States

#1291 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $18,746
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,389

38. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For Philosophy

#1216 in the United States

#1297 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $22,886

39. University of Management and Technology

Arlington

For Philosophy

#1261 in the United States

#1342 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $12,575
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $4,050

40. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Philosophy

#1396 in the United States

#1482 in North America

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

41. Virginia Union University

Richmond

For Philosophy

#1481 in the United States

#1568 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 902
Net Price: $21,057
Receiving Aid: 79%

42. Ferrum College

Ferrum

For Philosophy

#1502 in the United States

#1589 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1005
Net Price: $25,558
Receiving Aid: 94%

Closest to Virginia states to learn Philosophy

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	16	115
District of Columbia	12	60
North Carolina	45	26
Maryland	26	22
Pennsylvania	98	11
South Carolina	25	81
Ohio	62	21
New Jersey	26	17
Kentucky	28	66
Tennessee	34	43
Georgia	47	45
Indiana	33	48
New York	132	6
Connecticut	22	12
Rhode Island	9	56
Massachusetts	71	3
Alabama	25	98
Vermont	11	119
Illinois	77	10
Michigan	39	4
New Hampshire	11	84
Florida	51	33
Mississippi	13	183
Wisconsin	33	13
Missouri	39	42
Maine	13	207
Arkansas	17	141
Iowa	29	38
Louisiana	25	55
Minnesota	26	25
Kansas	17	76
Oklahoma	20	113
Nebraska	12	93
South Dakota	8	373
Texas	77	18
North Dakota	6	215
Colorado	20	54
New Mexico	7	99
Puerto Rico	14	325
Montana	7	198
Utah	10	53
Arizona	10	27
Idaho	7	214
Nevada	6	149
Washington	28	7
Oregon	18	75
California	126	1
Alaska	4	320
Hawaii	6	116