41 Best Physics schools 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 Physics. A graph of 8.42M citations received by 260K 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: 55%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 67%

2. University of Virginia

Charlottesville

For Physics

#47 in the United States

#52 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1475
Average ACT: 34
Receiving Aid: 57%

3. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Physics

#123 in the United States

#146 in North America

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

4. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Physics

#126 in the United States

#149 in North America

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

5. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Physics

#152 in the United States

#179 in North America

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

6. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Physics

#160 in the United States

#188 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Physics

#194 in the United States

#222 in North America

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

8. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Physics

#323 in the United States

#366 in North America

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

9. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Physics

#336 in the United States

#379 in North America

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

10. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Physics

#337 in the United States

#380 in North America

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

11. Hampton University

Hampton

For Physics

#342 in the United States

#385 in North America

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

12. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Physics

#384 in the United States

#430 in North America

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

13. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Physics

#509 in the United States

#564 in North America

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

14. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Physics

#536 in the United States

#591 in North America

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

15. Radford University

Radford

For Physics

#625 in the United States

#683 in North America

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

16. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Physics

#630 in the United States

#688 in North America

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

17. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Physics

#649 in the United States

#707 in North America

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

18. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Physics

#694 in the United States

#755 in North America

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

19. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Physics

#695 in the United States

#756 in North America

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

20. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Physics

#719 in the United States

#781 in North America

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

21. Longwood University

Farmville

For Physics

#772 in the United States

#837 in North America

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

22. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Physics

#796 in the United States

#863 in North America

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

23. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Physics

#842 in the United States

#909 in North America

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

24. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Physics

#874 in the United States

#941 in North America

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

25. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Physics

#887 in the United States

#954 in North America

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

26. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Physics

#897 in the United States

#964 in North America

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

27. Roanoke College

Salem

For Physics

#898 in the United States

#965 in North America

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

28. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Physics

#901 in the United States

#968 in North America

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

29. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Physics

#960 in the United States

#1029 in North America

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

30. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Physics

#970 in the United States

#1039 in North America

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

31. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Physics

#996 in the United States

#1065 in North America

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

32. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Physics

#1198 in the United States

#1275 in North America

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

33. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For Physics

#1272 in the United States

#1349 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 1155
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $21,668

34. University of Management and Technology

Arlington

For Physics

#1276 in the United States

#1353 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $8,987
Receiving Aid: 0%
Average Aid: $4,680

35. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For Physics

#1284 in the United States

#1361 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $17,810
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $28,135

36. University of Virginia's College at Wise

Wise

For Physics

#1352 in the United States

#1432 in North America

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

37. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Physics

#1383 in the United States

#1463 in North America

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

38. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Physics

#1393 in the United States

#1474 in North America

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

39. Ferrum College

Ferrum

For Physics

#1394 in the United States

#1475 in North America

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

40. Virginia Union University

Richmond

For Physics

#1493 in the United States

#1577 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Average SAT: 868
Net Price: $11,483
Receiving Aid: 88%

41. Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond

For Physics

#1498 in the United States

#1583 in North America

Enrollment: 159
Male:Female: 33:67

Closest to Virginia states to learn Physics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	18	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	28	11
Kentucky	25	72
Tennessee	32	55
Georgia	45	17
Indiana	32	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	56	29
Mississippi	14	141
Wisconsin	32	14
Missouri	35	51
Maine	14	185
Arkansas	18	121
Iowa	29	42
Louisiana	24	75
Minnesota	26	16
Kansas	15	92
Oklahoma	19	93
Nebraska	11	83
South Dakota	8	247
Texas	76	13
North Dakota	8	172
Colorado	20	35
New Mexico	9	84
Puerto Rico	15	284
Montana	7	149
Utah	11	44
Arizona	10	30
Idaho	7	157
Nevada	6	127
Washington	31	10
Oregon	17	77
California	134	2
Alaska	4	180
Hawaii	7	114