These Are The Top VA Colleges In 2027 U.S. News Rankings

Thirteen colleges and universities in Virginia earned top spots in the 2027 Best Colleges rankings released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.

The highest-ranked Virginia school overall was the University of Virginia, which placed 26th among all schools. Virginia Tech and William and Mary tied for 52nd, followed by George Mason University at 121st.

Schools may appear in several lists, including National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges and four regional university and college categories. U.S. News also publishes rankings for public universities, historically Black colleges and universities, undergraduate programs and schools offering strong value or support for veterans.

Four Virginia schools were ranked among the top 100 liberal arts colleges.

• Washington and Lee University — No. 12 (tie) — National Liberal Arts Colleges
• University of Richmond — No. 21 — National Liberal Arts Colleges
• Virginia Military Institute — No. 62 (tie) — National Liberal Arts Colleges
• Randolph-Macon College — No. 85 (tie) — National Liberal Arts Colleges

Ten Virginia schools were ranked among the top 100 regional universities in the South.

• Hampton University — No. 8 (tie) — Regional Universities South
• Hollins University — No. 13 — Regional Universities South
• Radford University — No. 18 (tie) — Regional Universities South
• Longwood University — No. 26 (tie) — Regional Universities South
• Virginia State University — No. 48 (tie) — Regional Universities South
• Mary Baldwin University — No. 59 (tie) — Regional Universities South
• Norfolk State University — No. 59 (tie) — Regional Universities South
• Eastern Mennonite University — No. 66 (tie) — Regional Universities South
• Averett University — No. 94 (tie) — Regional Universities South
• Virginia Union University — No. 94 (tie) — Regional Universities South

Schools may appear in several lists, including National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges and four regional university and college categories. U.S. News also publishes rankings for public universities, historically Black colleges and universities, undergraduate programs and schools offering strong value or support for veterans.

Some Rankings Changed Sharply

The 2027 edition brought more movement than usual because U.S. News changed both its scoring formula and the categories in which many schools compete.

The rankings feature a new metric comparing graduates’ four-year post-college earnings within their specific fields of study. This evaluates graduates against peers in the same subject nationwide, preventing schools from being rewarded solely for producing graduates in high-paying fields like engineering or finance.

Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard covers employed federal financial aid recipients with bachelor’s degrees. This metric replaced graduate indebtedness, which U.S. News discontinued due to outdated, uncertain debt data.

About one-fifth of the institutions evaluated were also moved into different categories under an updated classification system developed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education.

A school’s move from one list to another may reflect its new category rather than a change in academic quality, U.S. News said.

The outlet also added an undergraduate economics specialty ranking and a Best Value Schools for In-State Students list examining affordability at public colleges.

Overall Rankings

U.S. News said the best universities overall in the South are:

1. The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina

2. Berry College (tie)

2. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach (tie)

The top private and public universities are:

National Universities (Private)

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge

2. Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey

3. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

National Universities (Public)

1 (tie). University of California, Berkeley

1 (tie). University of California, Los Angeles

3. University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

National Liberal Arts Colleges

1. Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts

2. Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts

3 (tie). Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine

3 (tie). Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, California

3 (tie). Pomona College, Claremont, California

3 (tie). Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

How Rankings Are Calculated

U.S. News evaluates schools using measures that include graduation and retention rates, the performance of students who received federal Pell Grants, faculty resources, academic reputation, graduates’ earnings and student debt.

U.S. News said the rankings should be considered one tool among many when choosing a college. Cost, financial aid, available majors, campus culture, location and a student’s likelihood of graduating can matter more than a school’s numerical position.