Best Colleges In Virginia, DC: New U.S. News Rankings For 2020

WASHINGTON, DC — Virginia has 11 top-ranked national schools in the state making the list of best national colleges for 2020 compiled by U.S. News & World Report. The University of Virginia in Charlottesville came in highest at No. 28 overall on the best colleges list. Six colleges in the District of Columbia are on the national list, led by Georgetown University at No. 24 overall.

The 2020 list includes the overall best national universities, as well as rankings for the best liberal-arts colleges, the top public schools, the best value schools and more.

Other high ranking national schools in the state included the College of William and Mary and Virginia Tech.

For the 2020 rankings, U.S. News made some changes to help prospective students with their college search. A new set of listings looked at the top performers in social mobility, evaluating which schools best serve underrepresented students. The 2020 methodology also factors in which schools support first-generation college students through graduation.

A total of 1,400 colleges are included in the 2020 rankings. (You can read the full methodology here.)

"For more than three decades, we've collected and analyzed data on thousands of colleges and
universities across the country and helped put schools on the map," Kim Castro, editor and chief content officer of U.S. News, said.

"We've found the best institutions to be ones committed to academically and financially supporting their students through graduation. They draw in high-quality professors and set students up for postgraduate success."

Here are the top Virginia schools that made the list for national colleges:

• University of Virginia, Charlottesville, No. 28
• College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, No. 40
• Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, No. 74
• George Mason University, Fairfax, No. 153
• Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, No. 162
• Hampton University, Hampton, No. 218
• Old Dominion University, Norfolk, No. 263
• Shenandoah University, Winchester, No. 263
• Mary Baldwin University, Staunton, No. 272
• Regent University, Virginia Beach, No. 281
• Liberty University, Lynchburg, NA (ranked in bottom 100 of top national schools)

Here are the top District of Columbia schools that made the list for national colleges:

• Georgetown University, No. 24
• George Washington University, No. 70
• American University, No. 77
• Howard University, No. 104
• The Catholic University of America, No. 139
• Gallaudet University, No. 179

Overall, Princeton University once again stayed in the No. 1 spot. Williams College was the top liberal-arts college and the University of California-Los Angeles was the No. 1 public school.

Three Virginia colleges made the top 100 list of top liberal arts colleges in the nation. They are:

• Washington and Lee University, Lexington, No. 10
• University of Richmond, Richmond, No. 23
• Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, No. 72

Below are the top 5 national universities:

1. Princeton University (NJ)
2. Harvard University (MA)
3. Columbia University (NY) (tie)
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (tie)
3. Yale University (CT) (tie)

Below are the top 3 liberal arts colleges:

1. Williams College (MA)
2. Amherst College (MA)
3. Swarthmore College (PA) (tie)
3. Wellesley College (MA) (tie)

Below are the top 3 public universities:

1. University of California—Los Angeles
2. University of California—Berkeley
3. University of Michigan—Ann Arbor

Read the full U.S. News & World Report study.