42 Best Political Science schools 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 Political Science. A graph of 4.69M citations received by 180K 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 Political Science

#32 in the United States

#34 in North America

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

2. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Political Science

#55 in the United States

#65 in North America

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

3. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Political Science

#59 in the United States

#70 in North America

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

4. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Political Science

#96 in the United States

#113 in North America

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

5. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Political Science

#140 in the United States

#163 in North America

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

6. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Political Science

#156 in the United States

#179 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Political Science

#171 in the United States

#199 in North America

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

8. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Political Science

#191 in the United States

#221 in North America

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

9. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Political Science

#211 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 Political Science

#292 in the United States

#326 in North America

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

11. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Political Science

#355 in the United States

#400 in North America

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

12. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Political Science

#423 in the United States

#470 in North America

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

13. Radford University

Radford

For Political Science

#457 in the United States

#505 in North America

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

14. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Political Science

#524 in the United States

#579 in North America

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

15. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Political Science

#541 in the United States

#597 in North America

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

16. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Political Science

#627 in the United States

#689 in North America

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

17. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Political Science

#670 in the United States

#734 in North America

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

18. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Political Science

#687 in the United States

#751 in North America

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

19. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Political Science

#726 in the United States

#793 in North America

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

20. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Political Science

#743 in the United States

#812 in North America

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

21. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Political Science

#757 in the United States

#826 in North America

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

22. Longwood University

Farmville

For Political Science

#771 in the United States

#840 in North America

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

23. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Political Science

#784 in the United States

#854 in North America

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

24. Hampton University

Hampton

For Political Science

#805 in the United States

#876 in North America

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

25. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Political Science

#853 in the United States

#924 in North America

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

26. Roanoke College

Salem

For Political Science

#867 in the United States

#938 in North America

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

27. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Political Science

#967 in the United States

#1039 in North America

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

28. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Political Science

#985 in the United States

#1058 in North America

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

29. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Political Science

#999 in the United States

#1074 in North America

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

30. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Political Science

#1022 in the United States

#1098 in North America

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

31. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Political Science

#1062 in the United States

#1139 in North America

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

32. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Political Science

#1104 in the United States

#1181 in North America

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

33. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Political Science

#1122 in the United States

#1199 in North America

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

34. Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond

For Political Science

#1129 in the United States

#1206 in North America

Enrollment: 159
Male:Female: 33:67

35. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For Political Science

#1152 in the United States

#1229 in North America

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

36. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Political Science

#1194 in the United States

#1271 in North America

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

37. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For Political Science

#1215 in the United States

#1293 in North America

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

38. University of Virginia's College at Wise

Wise

For Political Science

#1273 in the United States

#1352 in North America

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

39. University of Management and Technology

Arlington

For Political Science

#1287 in the United States

#1366 in North America

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

40. Virginia Union University

Richmond

For Political Science

#1322 in the United States

#1401 in North America

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

41. Ferrum College

Ferrum

For Political Science

#1481 in the United States

#1569 in North America

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

42. Averett University

Danville

For Political Science

#1558 in the United States

#1647 in North America

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

Closest to Virginia states to learn Political Science

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	17	123
District of Columbia	12	41
North Carolina	47	20
Maryland	28	13
Delaware	4	86
Pennsylvania	101	8
South Carolina	31	61
Ohio	63	19
New Jersey	28	21
Kentucky	28	63
Tennessee	37	46
Georgia	50	45
Indiana	35	39
New York	139	5
Connecticut	21	7
Rhode Island	9	66
Massachusetts	71	1
Alabama	26	97
Vermont	11	129
Illinois	78	9
Michigan	43	2
New Hampshire	12	75
Florida	64	34
Mississippi	14	178
Wisconsin	34	16
Missouri	40	43
Maine	14	227
Arkansas	17	130
Iowa	31	49
Louisiana	26	84
Minnesota	29	18
Kansas	17	68
Oklahoma	20	92
Nebraska	13	83
South Dakota	9	338
Texas	82	22
North Dakota	8	229
Colorado	22	57
New Mexico	8	105
Puerto Rico	13	527
Montana	8	202
Utah	11	50
Arizona	10	24
Idaho	7	240
Nevada	6	133
Washington	32	6
Oregon	19	106
California	133	3
Alaska	4	331
Hawaii	7	113