42 Best colleges for Philosophy in Virginia

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Virginia ranked based on their research performance in Philosophy. A graph of 3.61M citations received by 140K 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: 17%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 44%

2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Philosophy

#59 in the United States

#72 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1330
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 69%

3. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Philosophy

#81 in the United States

#96 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 80%

4. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Philosophy

#133 in the United States

#156 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 1150
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 100%

5. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Philosophy

#164 in the United States

#190 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Average SAT: 1438
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 54%

6. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Philosophy

#178 in the United States

#209 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1200
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 94%

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Philosophy

#181 in the United States

#213 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Net Price: $28,147
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $28,003

8. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Philosophy

#220 in the United States

#254 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $35,263

9. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Philosophy

#253 in the United States

#290 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 89%

10. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Philosophy

#368 in the United States

#413 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Average SAT: 1150
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $18,314

11. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Philosophy

#388 in the United States

#435 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $24,667

12. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Philosophy

#450 in the United States

#500 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 1,235
Male:Female: 34:66
Founded: 1973

13. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Philosophy

#501 in the United States

#554 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 99%

14. Radford University

Radford

For Philosophy

#559 in the United States

#617 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1060
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 99%

15. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Philosophy

#596 in the United States

#658 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1200
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 77%

16. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Philosophy

#623 in the United States

#686 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Net Price: $29,692
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $12,023

17. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Philosophy

#652 in the United States

#716 in North America

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

18. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Philosophy

#664 in the United States

#729 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average SAT: 1135
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $21,714

19. Longwood University

Farmville

For Philosophy

#746 in the United States

#813 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 100%

20. Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond

For Philosophy

#779 in the United States

#848 in North America

Enrollment: 173
Male:Female: 35:65

21. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Philosophy

#820 in the United States

#891 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1105
Net Price: $22,921
Receiving Aid: 100%

22. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Philosophy

#824 in the United States

#895 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Net Price: $26,400
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,100

23. Hampton University

Hampton

For Philosophy

#835 in the United States

#907 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average SAT: 1042
Average ACT: 18
Net Price: $28,576

24. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Philosophy

#843 in the United States

#916 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 925
Average ACT: 17
Receiving Aid: 92%

25. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Philosophy

#878 in the United States

#951 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1150
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 89%

26. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Philosophy

#883 in the United States

#956 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 970
Average ACT: 19
Receiving Aid: 97%

27. Roanoke College

Salem

For Philosophy

#919 in the United States

#994 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1180
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $27,695

28. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Philosophy

#940 in the United States

#1015 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1215
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $23,444

29. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Philosophy

#974 in the United States

#1050 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $29,058

30. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Philosophy

#1004 in the United States

#1080 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1145
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $29,578

31. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Philosophy

#1067 in the United States

#1144 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1205
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $25,598

32. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Philosophy

#1079 in the United States

#1157 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1223
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $19,660

33. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Philosophy

#1094 in the United States

#1172 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $24,710
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $30,242

34. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Philosophy

#1121 in the United States

#1199 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $21,862

35. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For Philosophy

#1236 in the United States

#1317 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $20,856

36. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For Philosophy

#1251 in the United States

#1332 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $18,838
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $25,673

37. University of Virginia's College at Wise

Wise

For Philosophy

#1260 in the United States

#1341 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 1055
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 100%

38. University of Management and Technology

Arlington

For Philosophy

#1355 in the United States

#1437 in North America

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

39. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Philosophy

#1373 in the United States

#1457 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 2,596
Male:Female: 41:59

40. Averett University

Danville

For Philosophy

#1418 in the United States

#1504 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average SAT: 1076
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $24,091

41. Virginia Union University

Richmond

For Philosophy

#1501 in the United States

#1589 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Average SAT: 880
Net Price: $20,207
Receiving Aid: 91%

42. Ferrum College

Ferrum

For Philosophy

#1509 in the United States

#1597 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Average SAT: 990
Net Price: $22,521
Receiving Aid: 100%

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	57
North Carolina	46	25
Maryland	27	20
Pennsylvania	98	9
South Carolina	26	77
Ohio	63	22
New Jersey	26	16
Kentucky	27	67
Tennessee	36	44
Georgia	48	47
Indiana	35	34
New York	135	6
Connecticut	22	11
Rhode Island	9	56
Massachusetts	72	3
Alabama	25	98
Vermont	11	121
Illinois	79	12
Michigan	40	4
New Hampshire	12	78
Florida	55	35
Mississippi	14	180
Wisconsin	34	15
Missouri	39	43
Maine	13	214
Arkansas	17	142
Iowa	29	39
Louisiana	25	61
Minnesota	26	26
Kansas	17	72
Oklahoma	20	108
Nebraska	12	94
South Dakota	8	380
Texas	79	19
North Dakota	7	215
Colorado	21	51
New Mexico	8	102
Puerto Rico	14	295
Montana	7	202
Utah	10	52
Arizona	10	29
Idaho	7	216
Nevada	6	148
Washington	28	7
Oregon	18	92
California	129	1
Alaska	4	325
Hawaii	6	118