42 Best Political Science schools 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 Political Science. A graph of 4.41M citations received by 176K 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: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 44%

2. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Political Science

#55 in the United States

#65 in North America

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

3. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Political Science

#59 in the United States

#69 in North America

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

4. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Political Science

#96 in the United States

#114 in North America

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

5. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Political Science

#139 in the United States

#162 in North America

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

6. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Political Science

#158 in the United States

#181 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Political Science

#169 in the United States

#196 in North America

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

8. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Political Science

#191 in the United States

#219 in North America

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

9. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Political Science

#210 in the United States

#240 in North America

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

10. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Political Science

#289 in the United States

#321 in North America

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

11. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Political Science

#351 in the United States

#395 in North America

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

12. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Political Science

#427 in the United States

#474 in North America

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

13. Radford University

Radford

For Political Science

#456 in the United States

#504 in North America

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

14. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Political Science

#531 in the United States

#586 in North America

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

15. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Political Science

#547 in the United States

#602 in North America

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

16. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Political Science

#635 in the United States

#697 in North America

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

17. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Political Science

#661 in the United States

#725 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

#685 in the United States

#749 in North America

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

19. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Political Science

#723 in the United States

#789 in North America

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

20. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Political Science

#743 in the United States

#810 in North America

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

21. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Political Science

#756 in the United States

#824 in North America

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

22. Longwood University

Farmville

For Political Science

#767 in the United States

#835 in North America

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

23. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Political Science

#783 in the United States

#852 in North America

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

24. Hampton University

Hampton

For Political Science

#795 in the United States

#865 in North America

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

25. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Political Science

#848 in the United States

#919 in North America

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

26. Roanoke College

Salem

For Political Science

#869 in the United States

#940 in North America

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

27. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Political Science

#965 in the United States

#1037 in North America

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

28. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Political Science

#985 in the United States

#1058 in North America

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

29. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Political Science

#992 in the United States

#1065 in North America

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

30. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Political Science

#1031 in the United States

#1106 in North America

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

31. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Political Science

#1061 in the United States

#1136 in North America

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

32. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Political Science

#1096 in the United States

#1172 in North America

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

33. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Political Science

#1123 in the United States

#1199 in North America

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

34. Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond

For Political Science

#1128 in the United States

#1204 in North America

Enrollment: 173
Male:Female: 35:65

35. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For Political Science

#1146 in the United States

#1223 in North America

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

36. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Political Science

#1216 in the United States

#1293 in North America

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

37. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For Political Science

#1224 in the United States

#1302 in North America

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

38. University of Virginia's College at Wise

Wise

For Political Science

#1270 in the United States

#1349 in North America

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

39. University of Management and Technology

Arlington

For Political Science

#1289 in the United States

#1368 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $8,987
Receiving Aid: 100%
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: 880
Net Price: $20,207
Receiving Aid: 91%

41. Ferrum College

Ferrum

For Political Science

#1489 in the United States

#1576 in North America

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

42. Averett University

Danville

For Political Science

#1549 in the United States

#1638 in North America

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

Closest to Virginia states to learn Political Science

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	17	122
District of Columbia	12	41
North Carolina	47	20
Maryland	28	14
Delaware	4	86
Pennsylvania	101	8
South Carolina	31	61
Ohio	63	19
New Jersey	28	21
Kentucky	27	63
Tennessee	37	47
Georgia	50	45
Indiana	35	39
New York	140	5
Connecticut	21	7
Rhode Island	9	66
Massachusetts	71	1
Alabama	26	97
Vermont	11	127
Illinois	78	9
Michigan	43	2
New Hampshire	12	75
Florida	64	34
Mississippi	14	181
Wisconsin	34	16
Missouri	40	43
Maine	14	229
Arkansas	16	131
Iowa	31	48
Louisiana	26	84
Minnesota	29	18
Kansas	17	68
Oklahoma	20	92
Nebraska	13	82
South Dakota	9	338
Texas	82	22
North Dakota	8	230
Colorado	21	57
New Mexico	8	104
Puerto Rico	13	528
Montana	8	203
Utah	11	50
Arizona	10	24
Idaho	7	242
Nevada	6	134
Washington	32	6
Oregon	19	105
California	133	3
Alaska	4	331
Hawaii	7	111