41 Best Physics 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 Physics. A graph of 8.05M citations received by 255K academic papers made by 41 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. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg

For Physics

#45 in the United States

#50 in North America

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

2. University of Virginia

Charlottesville

For Physics

#47 in the United States

#52 in North America

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

3. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Physics

#123 in the United States

#146 in North America

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

4. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Physics

#128 in the United States

#151 in North America

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

5. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Physics

#153 in the United States

#179 in North America

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

6. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Physics

#160 in the United States

#188 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Physics

#195 in the United States

#223 in North America

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

8. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Physics

#320 in the United States

#363 in North America

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

9. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Physics

#336 in the United States

#379 in North America

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

10. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Physics

#337 in the United States

#380 in North America

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

11. Hampton University

Hampton

For Physics

#343 in the United States

#386 in North America

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

12. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Physics

#381 in the United States

#427 in North America

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

13. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Physics

#509 in the United States

#564 in North America

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

14. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Physics

#539 in the United States

#594 in North America

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

15. Radford University

Radford

For Physics

#620 in the United States

#678 in North America

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

16. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Physics

#648 in the United States

#706 in North America

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

17. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Physics

#676 in the United States

#736 in North America

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

18. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Physics

#699 in the United States

#759 in North America

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

19. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Physics

#701 in the United States

#762 in North America

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

20. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Physics

#720 in the United States

#781 in North America

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

21. Longwood University

Farmville

For Physics

#769 in the United States

#833 in North America

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

22. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Physics

#795 in the United States

#860 in North America

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

23. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Physics

#850 in the United States

#917 in North America

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

24. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Physics

#867 in the United States

#934 in North America

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

25. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Physics

#892 in the United States

#959 in North America

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

26. Roanoke College

Salem

For Physics

#896 in the United States

#963 in North America

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

27. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Physics

#900 in the United States

#967 in North America

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

28. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Physics

#910 in the United States

#977 in North America

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

29. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Physics

#957 in the United States

#1026 in North America

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

30. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Physics

#969 in the United States

#1038 in North America

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

31. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Physics

#995 in the United States

#1064 in North America

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

32. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Physics

#1190 in the United States

#1267 in North America

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

33. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For Physics

#1262 in the United States

#1339 in North America

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

34. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For Physics

#1279 in the United States

#1356 in North America

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

35. University of Management and Technology

Arlington

For Physics

#1288 in the United States

#1365 in North America

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

36. University of Virginia's College at Wise

Wise

For Physics

#1353 in the United States

#1433 in North America

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

37. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Physics

#1381 in the United States

#1461 in North America

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

38. Ferrum College

Ferrum

For Physics

#1390 in the United States

#1470 in North America

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

39. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Physics

#1404 in the United States

#1485 in North America

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

40. Virginia Union University

Richmond

For Physics

#1491 in the United States

#1575 in North America

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

41. Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond

For Physics

#1495 in the United States

#1580 in North America

Enrollment: 173
Male:Female: 35:65

Closest to Virginia states to learn Physics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	17	113
District of Columbia	9	111
North Carolina	39	36
Maryland	27	18
Delaware	3	58
Pennsylvania	103	12
South Carolina	27	82
Ohio	59	24
New Jersey	27	11
Kentucky	25	72
Tennessee	32	56
Georgia	45	17
Indiana	31	25
New York	134	8
Connecticut	20	26
Rhode Island	9	57
Massachusetts	69	1
Alabama	24	97
Vermont	11	136
Illinois	68	6
Michigan	37	5
New Hampshire	11	96
Florida	55	29
Mississippi	14	142
Wisconsin	32	14
Missouri	35	51
Maine	14	185
Arkansas	18	121
Iowa	29	41
Louisiana	24	75
Minnesota	26	16
Kansas	15	91
Oklahoma	19	93
Nebraska	11	83
South Dakota	8	250
Texas	76	13
North Dakota	8	174
Colorado	20	35
New Mexico	9	84
Puerto Rico	15	284
Montana	7	150
Utah	11	44
Arizona	10	30
Idaho	7	157
Nevada	6	129
Washington	31	10
Oregon	17	77
California	132	2
Alaska	4	180
Hawaii	7	114