Virginia Private Colleges Ranked by Highest ACT Score

Below is a list of the 18 private colleges in Virginia with the highest ACT Score for incoming freshmen. University of Richmond leads the list with an average ACT Score of 34. Alternatively, check out the SAT version of these rankings.

The ACT is a standardized test used by colleges to evaluate applicants. It is not a guarantee of success in college, but it is a strong indicator of academic potential.

List of Virginia Private Colleges Ranked by Highest ACT Score
College Average ACT Score

University of Richmond, Virginia

 34

Lexington, Virginia

 33

Purcellville, Virginia

 30

Harrisonburg, Virginia

 29

Virginia Beach, Virginia

 28

Salem, Virginia

 27

Hampden-Sydney, Virginia

 25

Lynchburg, Virginia

 25

Arlington, Virginia

 24

Ashland, Virginia

 24

Emory, Virginia

 23

Virginia Beach, Virginia

 22

Lynchburg, Virginia

 22

Winchester, Virginia

 22

Danville, Virginia

 21

Staunton, Virginia

 21

Buena Vista, Virginia

 21

Hampton, Virginia

 17
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This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: August 2026

Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.