42 Best colleges for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences 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 Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. A graph of 8.25M citations received by 312K 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 Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#37 in the United States

#42 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 44%

2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#58 in the United States

#70 in North America

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

3. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#76 in the United States

#90 in North America

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

4. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#116 in the United States

#136 in North America

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

5. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#150 in the United States

#174 in North America

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

6. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#170 in the United States

#195 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#175 in the United States

#201 in North America

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

8. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#212 in the United States

#243 in North America

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

9. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#240 in the United States

#273 in North America

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

10. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#327 in the United States

#368 in North America

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

11. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#362 in the United States

#405 in North America

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

12. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#388 in the United States

#435 in North America

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

13. Radford University

Radford

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#509 in the United States

#562 in North America

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

14. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#556 in the United States

#611 in North America

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

15. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#589 in the United States

#645 in North America

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

16. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#627 in the United States

#687 in North America

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

17. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#676 in the United States

#741 in North America

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

18. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#684 in the United States

#750 in North America

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

19. Longwood University

Farmville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#752 in the United States

#818 in North America

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

20. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#771 in the United States

#840 in North America

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

21. Hampton University

Hampton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#790 in the United States

#859 in North America

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

22. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#791 in the United States

#860 in North America

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

23. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#834 in the United States

#904 in North America

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

24. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#848 in the United States

#918 in North America

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

25. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#867 in the United States

#937 in North America

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

26. Roanoke College

Salem

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#895 in the United States

#967 in North America

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

27. Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#930 in the United States

#1002 in North America

Enrollment: 173
Male:Female: 35:65

28. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#956 in the United States

#1028 in North America

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

29. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#962 in the United States

#1034 in North America

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

30. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1017 in the United States

#1093 in North America

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

31. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1035 in the United States

#1111 in North America

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

32. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1082 in the United States

#1159 in North America

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

33. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1105 in the United States

#1183 in North America

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

34. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1119 in the United States

#1197 in North America

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

35. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1170 in the United States

#1248 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 Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1214 in the United States

#1292 in North America

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

37. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1239 in the United States

#1318 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 Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1250 in the United States

#1329 in North America

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

39. University of Management and Technology

Arlington

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1387 in the United States

#1469 in North America

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

40. Virginia Union University

Richmond

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1416 in the United States

#1500 in North America

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

41. Averett University

Danville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1502 in the United States

#1589 in North America

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

42. Ferrum College

Ferrum

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1512 in the United States

#1599 in North America

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

Closest to Virginia states to learn Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	21	119
District of Columbia	13	50
North Carolina	50	20
Maryland	28	10
Delaware	4	96
Pennsylvania	114	8
South Carolina	32	69
Ohio	67	19
New Jersey	29	22
Kentucky	29	59
Tennessee	39	46
Georgia	52	42
Indiana	38	39
New York	146	6
Connecticut	22	9
Rhode Island	9	56
Massachusetts	75	1
Alabama	29	84
Vermont	12	122
Illinois	79	12
Michigan	47	4
New Hampshire	13	82
Florida	70	31
Mississippi	15	178
Wisconsin	36	14
Missouri	44	40
Maine	16	200
Arkansas	18	146
Iowa	32	44
Louisiana	27	79
Minnesota	30	18
Kansas	22	74
Oklahoma	22	104
Nebraska	15	87
South Dakota	11	330
Texas	89	21
North Dakota	9	215
Colorado	24	52
New Mexico	9	100
Puerto Rico	15	415
Montana	9	166
Utah	11	45
Arizona	10	30
Idaho	7	194
Nevada	8	152
Washington	39	5
Oregon	21	97
California	146	2
Alaska	4	233
Hawaii	7	107