42 Best colleges for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences 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 Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. A graph of 8.7M citations received by 319K 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: 1475
Average ACT: 34
Receiving Aid: 57%

2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#58 in the United States

#70 in North America

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

3. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#76 in the United States

#91 in North America

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

4. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#115 in the United States

#135 in North America

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

5. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#152 in the United States

#177 in North America

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

6. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#169 in the United States

#194 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#176 in the United States

#204 in North America

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

8. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#213 in the United States

#244 in North America

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

9. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#236 in the United States

#269 in North America

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

10. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#330 in the United States

#371 in North America

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

11. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#360 in the United States

#405 in North America

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

12. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#392 in the United States

#440 in North America

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

13. Radford University

Radford

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#508 in the United States

#562 in North America

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

14. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#554 in the United States

#609 in North America

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

15. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#588 in the United States

#645 in North America

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

16. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#621 in the United States

#681 in North America

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

17. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#679 in the United States

#745 in North America

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

18. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#690 in the United States

#756 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

#751 in the United States

#819 in North America

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

20. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#776 in the United States

#845 in North America

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

21. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#793 in the United States

#862 in North America

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

22. Hampton University

Hampton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#795 in the United States

#864 in North America

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

23. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#830 in the United States

#900 in North America

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

24. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#846 in the United States

#916 in North America

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

25. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#868 in the United States

#938 in North America

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

26. Roanoke College

Salem

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#891 in the United States

#963 in North America

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

27. Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#942 in the United States

#1014 in North America

Enrollment: 159
Male:Female: 33:67

28. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#956 in the United States

#1028 in North America

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

29. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#960 in the United States

#1032 in North America

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

30. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1026 in the United States

#1102 in North America

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

31. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1042 in the United States

#1118 in North America

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

32. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1073 in the United States

#1150 in North America

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

33. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1110 in the United States

#1188 in North America

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

34. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1118 in the United States

#1196 in North America

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

35. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1176 in the United States

#1254 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 Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1184 in the United States

#1262 in North America

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

37. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1244 in the United States

#1324 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 Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1251 in the United States

#1331 in North America

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

39. University of Management and Technology

Arlington

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1384 in the United States

#1466 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $8,987
Receiving Aid: 0%
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: 868
Net Price: $11,483
Receiving Aid: 88%

41. Ferrum College

Ferrum

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1498 in the United States

#1585 in North America

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

42. Averett University

Danville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1514 in the United States

#1602 in North America

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

Closest to Virginia states to learn Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	20	120
District of Columbia	13	48
North Carolina	50	20
Maryland	28	8
Delaware	4	97
Pennsylvania	114	9
South Carolina	32	68
Ohio	67	19
New Jersey	29	22
Kentucky	29	60
Tennessee	39	46
Georgia	52	42
Indiana	38	39
New York	146	6
Connecticut	22	10
Rhode Island	9	56
Massachusetts	75	1
Alabama	30	82
Vermont	12	124
Illinois	79	12
Michigan	47	3
New Hampshire	13	84
Florida	70	31
Mississippi	15	177
Wisconsin	36	14
Missouri	44	40
Maine	16	199
Arkansas	18	146
Iowa	32	44
Louisiana	27	79
Minnesota	30	18
Kansas	22	74
Oklahoma	22	103
Nebraska	15	87
South Dakota	12	331
Texas	89	21
North Dakota	9	216
Colorado	24	52
New Mexico	9	100
Puerto Rico	15	414
Montana	9	166
Utah	11	45
Arizona	10	29
Idaho	7	193
Nevada	8	149
Washington	39	5
Oregon	21	96
California	147	2
Alaska	4	233
Hawaii	7	106