42 Best colleges for Philosophy 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 Philosophy. A graph of 3.84M citations received by 142K 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: 1475
Average ACT: 34
Receiving Aid: 57%

2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Philosophy

#59 in the United States

#72 in North America

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

3. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Philosophy

#80 in the United States

#95 in North America

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

4. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Philosophy

#131 in the United States

#154 in North America

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

5. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Philosophy

#164 in the United States

#191 in North America

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

6. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Philosophy

#177 in the United States

#208 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Philosophy

#183 in the United States

#215 in North America

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

8. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Philosophy

#221 in the United States

#255 in North America

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

9. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Philosophy

#251 in the United States

#288 in North America

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

10. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Philosophy

#371 in the United States

#417 in North America

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

11. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Philosophy

#390 in the United States

#437 in North America

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

12. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Philosophy

#449 in the United States

#499 in North America

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

13. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Philosophy

#502 in the United States

#555 in North America

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

14. Radford University

Radford

For Philosophy

#561 in the United States

#620 in North America

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

15. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Philosophy

#589 in the United States

#651 in North America

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

16. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Philosophy

#623 in the United States

#686 in North America

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

17. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Philosophy

#658 in the United States

#723 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: 84%
Average SAT: 1137
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $21,446

19. Longwood University

Farmville

For Philosophy

#743 in the United States

#810 in North America

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

20. Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond

For Philosophy

#784 in the United States

#854 in North America

Enrollment: 159
Male:Female: 33:67

21. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Philosophy

#815 in the United States

#886 in North America

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

22. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Philosophy

#825 in the United States

#897 in North America

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

23. Hampton University

Hampton

For Philosophy

#840 in the United States

#913 in North America

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

24. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Philosophy

#844 in the United States

#917 in North America

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

25. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Philosophy

#872 in the United States

#945 in North America

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

26. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Philosophy

#885 in the United States

#958 in North America

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

27. Roanoke College

Salem

For Philosophy

#918 in the United States

#992 in North America

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

28. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Philosophy

#946 in the United States

#1022 in North America

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

29. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Philosophy

#976 in the United States

#1052 in North America

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

30. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Philosophy

#998 in the United States

#1074 in North America

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

31. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Philosophy

#1074 in the United States

#1152 in North America

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

32. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Philosophy

#1083 in the United States

#1161 in North America

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

33. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Philosophy

#1106 in the United States

#1184 in North America

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

34. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Philosophy

#1109 in the United States

#1187 in North America

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

35. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For Philosophy

#1249 in the United States

#1330 in North America

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

36. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For Philosophy

#1250 in the United States

#1331 in North America

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

37. University of Virginia's College at Wise

Wise

For Philosophy

#1261 in the United States

#1342 in North America

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

38. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Philosophy

#1327 in the United States

#1409 in North America

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

39. University of Management and Technology

Arlington

For Philosophy

#1358 in the United States

#1442 in North America

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

40. Averett University

Danville

For Philosophy

#1419 in the United States

#1505 in North America

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

41. Virginia Union University

Richmond

For Philosophy

#1503 in the United States

#1591 in North America

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

42. Ferrum College

Ferrum

For Philosophy

#1511 in the United States

#1599 in North America

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

Closest to Virginia states to learn Philosophy

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	16	115
District of Columbia	13	57
North Carolina	46	25
Maryland	27	19
Pennsylvania	98	9
South Carolina	26	77
Ohio	63	22
New Jersey	26	14
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	122
Illinois	79	12
Michigan	40	4
New Hampshire	12	79
Florida	56	35
Mississippi	14	180
Wisconsin	34	15
Missouri	39	43
Maine	13	215
Arkansas	17	142
Iowa	29	39
Louisiana	25	60
Minnesota	27	26
Kansas	17	73
Oklahoma	20	108
Nebraska	12	94
South Dakota	8	374
Texas	81	20
North Dakota	7	214
Colorado	21	51
New Mexico	8	102
Puerto Rico	14	299
Montana	7	202
Utah	10	52
Arizona	10	27
Idaho	7	216
Nevada	6	149
Washington	28	7
Oregon	18	93
California	130	1
Alaska	4	325
Hawaii	6	120