42 Best Political Science schools 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 Political Science. A graph of 2.99M citations received by 157K 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

#30 in the United States

#32 in North America

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

2. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Political Science

#55 in the United States

#65 in North America

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

3. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Political Science

#56 in the United States

#67 in North America

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

4. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Political Science

#103 in the United States

#122 in North America

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

5. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Political Science

#142 in the United States

#164 in North America

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

6. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Political Science

#162 in the United States

#184 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Political Science

#188 in the United States

#216 in North America

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

8. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Political Science

#203 in the United States

#233 in North America

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

9. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Political Science

#219 in the United States

#249 in North America

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

10. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Political Science

#292 in the United States

#327 in North America

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

11. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Political Science

#362 in the United States

#405 in North America

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

12. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Political Science

#391 in the United States

#436 in North America

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

13. Radford University

Radford

For Political Science

#489 in the United States

#537 in North America

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

14. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Political Science

#537 in the United States

#588 in North America

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

15. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Political Science

#558 in the United States

#612 in North America

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

16. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Political Science

#621 in the United States

#681 in North America

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

17. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Political Science

#694 in the United States

#758 in North America

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

18. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Political Science

#709 in the United States

#773 in North America

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

19. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Political Science

#712 in the United States

#776 in North America

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

20. Longwood University

Farmville

For Political Science

#727 in the United States

#793 in North America

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

21. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Political Science

#744 in the United States

#811 in North America

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

22. Hampton University

Hampton

For Political Science

#746 in the United States

#813 in North America

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

23. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Political Science

#751 in the United States

#818 in North America

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

24. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Political Science

#787 in the United States

#856 in North America

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

25. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Political Science

#790 in the United States

#859 in North America

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

26. Roanoke College

Salem

For Political Science

#848 in the United States

#918 in North America

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

27. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Political Science

#940 in the United States

#1012 in North America

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

28. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Political Science

#972 in the United States

#1044 in North America

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

29. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Political Science

#1015 in the United States

#1088 in North America

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

30. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Political Science

#1044 in the United States

#1117 in North America

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

31. Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond

For Political Science

#1058 in the United States

#1131 in North America

Enrollment: 177
Male:Female: 35:65

32. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Political Science

#1067 in the United States

#1140 in North America

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

33. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Political Science

#1086 in the United States

#1160 in North America

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

34. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For Political Science

#1119 in the United States

#1194 in North America

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

35. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Political Science

#1120 in the United States

#1195 in North America

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

36. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For Political Science

#1206 in the United States

#1281 in North America

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

37. University of Virginia's College at Wise

Wise

For Political Science

#1281 in the United States

#1359 in North America

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

38. University of Management and Technology

Arlington

For Political Science

#1296 in the United States

#1375 in North America

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

39. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Political Science

#1298 in the United States

#1377 in North America

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

40. Averett University

Danville

For Political Science

#1357 in the United States

#1439 in North America

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

41. Virginia Union University

Richmond

For Political Science

#1394 in the United States

#1476 in North America

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

42. Ferrum College

Ferrum

For Political Science

#1523 in the United States

#1611 in North America

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

Closest to Virginia states to learn Political Science

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	17	124
District of Columbia	11	42
North Carolina	47	21
Maryland	27	15
Delaware	3	86
Pennsylvania	101	10
South Carolina	28	59
Ohio	62	19
New Jersey	28	23
Kentucky	26	60
Tennessee	35	46
Georgia	48	44
Indiana	35	52
New York	136	5
Connecticut	21	8
Rhode Island	9	74
Massachusetts	71	1
Alabama	25	97
Vermont	11	130
Illinois	76	7
Michigan	42	2
New Hampshire	12	78
Florida	61	34
Mississippi	13	183
Wisconsin	34	16
Missouri	39	43
Maine	14	222
Arkansas	17	136
Iowa	32	45
Louisiana	26	82
Minnesota	28	18
Kansas	17	69
Oklahoma	20	93
Nebraska	13	87
South Dakota	9	334
Texas	79	20
North Dakota	7	215
Colorado	21	62
New Mexico	7	98
Puerto Rico	13	544
Montana	8	197
Utah	11	47
Arizona	9	25
Idaho	7	240
Nevada	6	132
Washington	30	6
Oregon	18	102
California	130	3
Alaska	4	322
Hawaii	6	110