2026 Best Research Universities in Virginia

Name: 2026 Best Research Universities in Virginia (Kollegio college rankings)
Creator: Kollegio
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

15 Virginia schools ranked in Kollegio's 2026 Best Research Universities ranking, based on U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data.

Showing 1–15 of 15 colleges · How we rank colleges

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Cost of attendance after aid

ⓘ

$77,180

Institution type

2 Year4 Year5 Year

Field of study

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Campus Detail

Institution setting

AllCitySuburbanRural

Undergraduate enrollment

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268763

Financial

Alumni starting salary

Tuition cost

ⓘ

$67,000

In-state tuition

ⓘ

Proportion of need based aid received

ⓘ

100%Clear Filter

International students received aid

ⓘ

100%

Average aid package

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$82,308

Application fee

ⓘ

$150

Academics

Mean GPA

ⓘ

Mean SAT

ⓘ

1200

Mean ACT

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#1 Best Research Universities

University of Virginia

Charlottesville

Acceptance rate

16.8%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$16,547

Avg. Cost after Aid

$20,000

#2 Best Research Universities

William & Mary

Williamsburg

Acceptance rate

32.7%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$17,434

Avg. Cost after Aid

$17,251

#3 Best Research Universities

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg

Acceptance rate

55.0%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$11,750

Avg. Cost after Aid

$18,421

#4 Best Research Universities

James Madison University

Harrisonburg

Acceptance rate

76.3%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$7,460

Avg. Cost after Aid

$19,000

#5 Best Research Universities

George Mason University

Fairfax

Acceptance rate

88.8%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$9,510

Avg. Cost after Aid

$19,000

#6 Best Research Universities

Hampton University

Hampton

Acceptance rate

48.3%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$26,198

Avg. Cost after Aid

$33,000

#7 Best Research Universities

Shenandoah University

Winchester

Acceptance rate

77.8%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$33,140

Avg. Cost after Aid

$29,000

#8 Best Research Universities

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

Acceptance rate

93.1%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$12,094

Avg. Cost after Aid

$20,000

#9 Best Research Universities

Marymount University

Arlington

Acceptance rate

80.5%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$34,400

Avg. Cost after Aid

$27,000

#10 Best Research Universities

University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg

Acceptance rate

82.2%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$33,500

Avg. Cost after Aid

$27,000

#11 Best Research Universities

Regent University

Virginia Beach

Acceptance rate

98.0%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$17,220

Avg. Cost after Aid

$17,000

#12 Best Research Universities

Old Dominion University

Norfolk

Acceptance rate

90.5%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$7,029

Avg. Cost after Aid

$17,000

#13 Best Research Universities

Liberty University

Lynchburg

Acceptance rate

99.3%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$15,409

Avg. Cost after Aid

$28,000

#14 Best Research Universities

Radford University

Radford

Acceptance rate

89.5%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$7,922

Avg. Cost after Aid

$17,000

#15 Best Research Universities

Mary Baldwin University

Staunton

Acceptance rate

80.0%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$30,690

Avg. Cost after Aid

$18,000

2026 Best Research Universities in Virginia

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