42 Best colleges for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences 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 Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. A graph of 5.71M citations received by 275K 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

#38 in the United States

#43 in North America

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

2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#56 in the United States

#68 in North America

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

3. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#79 in the United States

#93 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1245
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: 91%
Average SAT: 1160
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 90%

5. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#151 in the United States

#175 in North America

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

6. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#174 in the United States

#198 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#189 in the United States

#217 in North America

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

8. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#222 in the United States

#254 in North America

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

9. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#249 in the United States

#282 in North America

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

10. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#329 in the United States

#368 in North America

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

11. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#341 in the United States

#380 in North America

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

12. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#416 in the United States

#464 in North America

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

13. Radford University

Radford

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#518 in the United States

#570 in North America

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

14. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#553 in the United States

#608 in North America

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

15. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#594 in the United States

#651 in North America

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

16. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#620 in the United States

#679 in North America

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

17. Longwood University

Farmville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#721 in the United States

#786 in North America

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

18. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#730 in the United States

#795 in North America

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

19. Hampton University

Hampton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#731 in the United States

#796 in North America

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

20. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#743 in the United States

#808 in North America

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

21. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#756 in the United States

#824 in North America

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

22. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#761 in the United States

#829 in North America

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

23. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#818 in the United States

#887 in North America

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

24. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#847 in the United States

#916 in North America

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

25. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#848 in the United States

#917 in North America

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

26. Roanoke College

Salem

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#856 in the United States

#925 in North America

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

27. Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#875 in the United States

#946 in North America

Enrollment: 177
Male:Female: 35:65

28. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#930 in the United States

#1002 in North America

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

29. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#935 in the United States

#1007 in North America

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

30. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1008 in the United States

#1080 in North America

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

31. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1047 in the United States

#1122 in North America

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

32. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1074 in the United States

#1150 in North America

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

33. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1095 in the United States

#1171 in North America

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

34. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1149 in the United States

#1225 in North America

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

35. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1153 in the United States

#1229 in North America

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

36. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1222 in the United States

#1300 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 Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1231 in the United States

#1309 in North America

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

38. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1289 in the United States

#1368 in North America

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

39. University of Management and Technology

Arlington

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1335 in the United States

#1415 in North America

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

40. Averett University

Danville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1341 in the United States

#1422 in North America

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

41. Virginia Union University

Richmond

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1458 in the United States

#1545 in North America

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

42. Ferrum College

Ferrum

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1510 in the United States

#1598 in North America

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

Closest to Virginia states to learn Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	20	121
District of Columbia	13	52
North Carolina	49	21
Maryland	27	9
Delaware	4	97
Pennsylvania	113	11
South Carolina	32	66
Ohio	66	19
New Jersey	29	24
Kentucky	29	57
Tennessee	39	45
Georgia	51	41
Indiana	36	54
New York	144	6
Connecticut	22	10
Rhode Island	9	60
Massachusetts	74	1
Alabama	28	82
Vermont	12	123
Illinois	79	14
Michigan	45	4
New Hampshire	13	90
Florida	69	29
Mississippi	15	180
Wisconsin	35	13
Missouri	41	39
Maine	16	200
Arkansas	18	143
Iowa	33	43
Louisiana	26	76
Minnesota	30	18
Kansas	20	75
Oklahoma	22	108
Nebraska	14	88
South Dakota	10	324
Texas	85	20
North Dakota	9	211
Colorado	24	53
New Mexico	9	95
Puerto Rico	15	406
Montana	9	165
Utah	11	44
Arizona	10	28
Idaho	7	192
Nevada	8	148
Washington	37	5
Oregon	20	96
California	143	2
Alaska	4	227
Hawaii	7	107