Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Virginia 2024

Q: Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Badge for BEST IN VIRGINIA LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES

By Dr. James Barham

Published: May 5, 2021
Updated: Jan 18, 2024

Liberal arts colleges are a great option for students seeking a well-rounded education in an intimate campus setting. The best liberal arts colleges in Virginia offer a diverse selection of degree programs with opportunities for a highly individualized educational experience.

10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Virginia

Washington and Lee University
University of Richmond
James Madison University
Radford University
Virginia Military Institute
Virginia State University
Christopher Newport University
Sweet Briar College
University of Mary Washington
Norfolk State University

Washington and Lee University
University of Richmond
Virginia Military Institute
James Madison University
Virginia State University
Hampden–Sydney College
Radford University
Virginia Union University
Hollins University
University of Mary Washington

Southern Virginia University 99%
Eastern Mennonite University 99%
Emory and Henry College 97%
Randolph College 95%
Radford University 93%
Virginia State University 90%
Bridgewater College 90%
Norfolk State University 89%
Longwood University 88%
University of Mary Washington 86%

Norfolk State University 18 to 1
Southern Virginia University 17 to 1
Virginia Union University 17 to 1
James Madison University 17 to 1
University of Virginia's College at Wise 14 to 1
Bridgewater College 13 to 1
Longwood University 13 to 1
Marymount University 13 to 1
Christopher Newport University 13 to 1
Virginia State University 12 to 1

Washington and Lee University $61,750
University of Richmond $60,330
Hampden–Sydney College $50,740
Randolph–Macon College $46,460
Hollins University $41,210
Eastern Mennonite University $40,990
Bridgewater College $39,800
Marymount University $37,600
Roanoke College $35,350
Emory and Henry College $35,155

Randolph–Macon College $43,800
University of Richmond $26,280
Marymount University $21,420
Bridgewater College $19,230
Hollins University $17,423
Randolph College $17,100
Emory and Henry College $15,504
Eastern Mennonite University $15,000
James Madison University $11,520
Sweet Briar College $11,400

University of Virginia's College at Wise
Bridgewater College
Southern Virginia University
Emory and Henry College
Eastern Mennonite University
Randolph College
Hampden–Sydney College
Randolph–Macon College
Marymount University
Longwood University

Bridgewater College
University of Virginia's College at Wise
Southern Virginia University
Stratford University
Marymount University
Randolph College
Eastern Mennonite University
Roanoke College
Longwood University
Christopher Newport University

Washington and Lee University 17%
University of Richmond 24%
Hampden–Sydney College 40%
Virginia Military Institute 71%
Hollins University 72%
University of Virginia's College at Wise 76%
Sweet Briar College 76%
James Madison University 78%
Roanoke College 80%
Virginia Union University 81%

Washington and Lee University 7 to 1
Randolph College 7 to 1
Hollins University 8 to 1
University of Richmond 8 to 1
Sweet Briar College 8 to 1
Hampden–Sydney College 9 to 1
Virginia Military Institute 10 to 1
Eastern Mennonite University 10 to 1
Randolph–Macon College 10 to 1
Roanoke College 11 to 1

Virginia State University $5,540
Norfolk State University $5,752
University of Virginia's College at Wise $6,040
James Madison University $7,684
Radford University $8,156
Longwood University $8,420
University of Mary Washington $8,938
Christopher Newport University $9,375
Virginia Military Institute $9,782
Virginia Union University $14,305

Longwood University $6,678
Christopher Newport University $7,848
Virginia State University $8,375
Norfolk State University $8,820
University of Mary Washington $8,928
Radford University $9,182
Virginia Union University $11,275
Sweet Briar College $11,400
James Madison University $11,520
Eastern Mennonite University $15,000

Table of Contents

Colleges and Universities in Virginia

Liberty University, a private Christian school in Lynchburg, is the largest school in Virginia, serving over 60,000 students. The largest public university, Virginia Tech, has a student population of about half that but offers many in-person degree programs as well as eight master’s programs and 19 certificate programs online. Students who attend Virginia Tech can pursue fields like engineering, criminal justice, education, and business.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

The majority of Virginia’s universities and colleges could be considered small schools, serving populations of less than 5,000 students. Included on this list are public schools, like Christopher Newport University in Newport News, and private schools, like Hampton University, a historically black university in Hampton. Though most of its higher education institutes charge tuition fees above the national average, Virginia offers several loan forgiveness programs for qualifying attorneys and medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmaceutical professionals.

Virginia is perhaps most famous for its rich history - but the state is also home to many unique museums and famous landmarks. For example, those who love the classics can visit the Edgar Allen Poe Museum in Richmond. Those who harbor romantic dreams of espionage and intrigue might visit the CIA Museum in McLean. And, if you like your attractions random, you could check out Virginia’s 300-yard-long natural tunnel or its 29-ton spinning granite ball. While you’re here, you might consider attending one of the 78 colleges located in the state.

Learn more about Virginia’s higher education opportunities by checking out the state’s many colleges and universities.

What are Virginia’s Colleges & Universities?

Virginia’s Best Overall

How do we determine Virginia's best colleges and universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

A liberal arts college is a school that puts a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. We’ve identified 32 liberal arts colleges in Virginia. To be ranked among the 25 best liberal arts colleges in Virginia, schools must fully accredited institutions.

There are a number of accredited online MBA programs in Virginia as well. If you are considering continuing your education beyond a bachelor’s degree, an online MBA degree in Virginia can be a great option for busy working professionals looking for a path to career advancement.

Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Virginia 2023

Virginia’s Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Your Area of Interest

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines.

Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students.

Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).

Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers.

Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available.

Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online.

Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands.

Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.

Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving.

If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.

The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors.

Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

Check out our directory of liberal arts colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top liberal arts schools in every state.

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here

Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Virginia 2024

10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Virginia

Colleges and Universities in Virginia

What are Virginia’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Virginia 2023

Career Outlook for degree at Washington and Lee University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Richmond

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at James Madison University

Most Influential Alumni

James Madison University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Radford University

Most Influential Alumni

Radford University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Virginia Military Institute

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Virginia State University

Most Influential Alumni

Virginia State University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Christopher Newport University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Sweet Briar College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Mary Washington

Most Influential Alumni

University of Mary Washington’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Norfolk State University

Most Influential Alumni

Norfolk State University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Virginia Union University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Roanoke College

Most Influential Alumni

Stratford University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Hollins University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Longwood University

Career Outlook for degree at Marymount University

Most Influential Alumni

Marymount University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Randolph–Macon College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Hampden–Sydney College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Randolph College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Eastern Mennonite University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Emory and Henry College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Southern Virginia University

Career Outlook for degree at Bridgewater College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Virginia's College at Wise

University of Virginia's College at Wise’s Online Degrees

Virginia’s Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Your Area of Interest