2026 Best Ethnic Studies Schools in Virginia

Ethnic Studies programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. The schools below stand out for the quality of their ethnic studies programs.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for ethnic studies students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best Ethnic Studies Schools in Virginia

Best Schools for Ethnic Studies in Virginia

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the ethnic studies degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Ethnic Studies

1

University Of Virginia Main Campus
Charlottesville, VA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

12 Ethnic Studies Degrees Awarded

$34,197 Median Starting Salary

Our analysis ranked University Of Virginia Main Campus the best school in the country for a degree in ethnic studies. University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public school located in the suburb of Charlottesville. The six-year graduation rate is 96%. There were roughly 12 ethnic studies students who graduated with this degree at University Of Virginia Main Campus in the most recent data year. Students who receive their ethnic studies degree from University Of Virginia Main Campus earn around $34,197 in the first couple years of their career. University Of Virginia Main Campus graduates carry a median of $14,100 in student loans. More information about a degree in ethnic studies from University Of Virginia Main Campus

2

Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

33 Ethnic Studies Degrees Awarded

$29,607 Median Starting Salary

Virginia Commonwealth University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best ethnic studies schools. Virginia Commonwealth University is a very large public school located in the city of Richmond. Virginia Commonwealth University graduates 63% of students within six years. There were roughly 33 ethnic studies students who graduated with this degree at Virginia Commonwealth University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their ethnic studies degree from Virginia Commonwealth University earn around $29,607 in the first couple years of their career. Virginia Commonwealth University graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Read more about the ethnic studies program at Virginia Commonwealth University

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 9 schools evaluated.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.