40 Best Physics schools 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 Physics. A graph of 5.9M citations received by 225K academic papers made by 40 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

#43 in the United States

#48 in North America

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

2. University of Virginia

Charlottesville

For Physics

#48 in the United States

#53 in North America

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

3. Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

For Physics

#123 in the United States

#146 in North America

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

4. George Mason University

Fairfax

For Physics

#132 in the United States

#155 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 80%

5. Old Dominion University

Norfolk

For Physics

#153 in the United States

#179 in North America

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

6. College of William and Mary

Williamsburg

For Physics

#161 in the United States

#188 in North America

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

7. Marymount University

Arlington

For Physics

#195 in the United States

#223 in North America

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

8. Eastern Virginia Medical School

Norfolk

For Physics

#318 in the United States

#359 in North America

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

9. James Madison University

Harrisonburg

For Physics

#329 in the United States

#371 in North America

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

10. University of Richmond

Richmond

For Physics

#333 in the United States

#377 in North America

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

11. Hampton University

Hampton

For Physics

#344 in the United States

#389 in North America

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

12. Norfolk State University

Norfolk

For Physics

#367 in the United States

#412 in North America

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

13. Washington and Lee University

Lexington

For Physics

#514 in the United States

#569 in North America

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

14. Christopher Newport University

Newport News

For Physics

#527 in the United States

#582 in North America

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

15. Virginia State University

Petersburg

For Physics

#593 in the United States

#649 in North America

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

16. Radford University

Radford

For Physics

#607 in the United States

#665 in North America

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

17. Virginia Military Institute

Lexington

For Physics

#692 in the United States

#752 in North America

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

18. Regent University

Virginia Beach

For Physics

#694 in the United States

#754 in North America

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

19. University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg

For Physics

#704 in the United States

#765 in North America

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

20. Emory & Henry College

Emory

For Physics

#736 in the United States

#797 in North America

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

21. Longwood University

Farmville

For Physics

#817 in the United States

#883 in North America

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

22. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney

For Physics

#835 in the United States

#902 in North America

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

23. Roanoke College

Salem

For Physics

#842 in the United States

#909 in North America

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

24. Liberty University

Lynchburg

For Physics

#860 in the United States

#927 in North America

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

25. Stratford University

Fairfax

For Physics

#871 in the United States

#938 in North America

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

26. Shenandoah University

Winchester

For Physics

#872 in the United States

#939 in North America

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

27. University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

For Physics

#900 in the United States

#967 in North America

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

28. Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar

For Physics

#946 in the United States

#1015 in North America

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

29. Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Blacksburg

For Physics

#955 in the United States

#1024 in North America

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

30. Randolph-Macon College

Ashland

For Physics

#962 in the United States

#1031 in North America

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

31. Bridgewater College

Bridgewater

For Physics

#983 in the United States

#1052 in North America

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

32. Hollins University

Roanoke

For Physics

#1183 in the United States

#1259 in North America

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

33. University of Management and Technology

Arlington

For Physics

#1216 in the United States

#1292 in North America

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

34. Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

For Physics

#1275 in the United States

#1351 in North America

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

35. Randolph College

Lynchburg

For Physics

#1314 in the United States

#1390 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $22,886

36. University of Virginia's College at Wise

Wise

For Physics

#1319 in the United States

#1395 in North America

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

37. Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg

For Physics

#1327 in the United States

#1403 in North America

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

38. Ferrum College

Ferrum

For Physics

#1333 in the United States

#1410 in North America

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

39. Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach

For Physics

#1385 in the United States

#1467 in North America

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

40. Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richmond

For Physics

#1459 in the United States

#1542 in North America

Enrollment: 177
Male:Female: 35:65

Closest to Virginia states to learn Physics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
West Virginia	16	115
District of Columbia	9	111
North Carolina	39	39
Maryland	26	18
Delaware	3	57
Pennsylvania	102	12
South Carolina	26	82
Ohio	57	23
New Jersey	26	9
Kentucky	25	72
Tennessee	32	56
Georgia	43	17
Indiana	30	27
New York	131	8
Connecticut	20	25
Rhode Island	9	58
Massachusetts	68	1
Alabama	24	98
Vermont	11	135
Illinois	65	6
Michigan	36	5
New Hampshire	11	101
Florida	51	29
Mississippi	14	143
Wisconsin	30	14
Missouri	34	52
Maine	13	186
Arkansas	18	118
Iowa	26	36
Louisiana	24	76
Minnesota	26	15
Kansas	14	94
Oklahoma	19	93
Nebraska	11	84
South Dakota	8	252
Texas	74	13
North Dakota	7	169
Colorado	19	35
New Mexico	9	80
Puerto Rico	14	283
Montana	7	147
Utah	10	42
Arizona	9	30
Idaho	7	156
Nevada	6	129
Washington	30	10
Oregon	17	79
California	125	2
Alaska	4	184
Hawaii	7	114