See where Virginia universities ranked in U.S. News' 2026 list
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Half of Virginia's top 10 universities slipped in the national rankings, according to U.S. News & World Report's latest best colleges report released Tuesday.
Why it matters: The majority of a school's overall score comes from how well students graduate and thrive after leaving campus (or grounds, if we're talking UVA).
The big picture: U.S. News' annual report is one of the most influential and controversial rankings of colleges nationwide.
- And since 2023, its methodology weighs outcomes — like graduation rates, student debt and earnings — more than ever before.
The latest: UVA remains the top college in Virginia (No. 26), followed by Virginia Tech, William & Mary, George Mason and VCU.
- But of the top 10 universities statewide, which remained unchanged from last year, only Hampton University and Tech kept their same national ranking.
- William & Mary, Marymount and ODU were the only ones that jumped in rank (more below).
Here's how Virginia's top 10 universities moved (or didn't) from last year, per the report, which looked at over 1,700 colleges nationwide.
- UVA: No. 26 in 2026, down from No. 21 in 2025.
- Virginia Tech: No. 51, the same as 2025.
- William & Mary: No. 51, up from 54 in 2025.
- GMU: No. 117, down from 109 in 2025.
- VCU: No. 139, down from 136 in 2025.
- JMU: No. 151, down from 148 in 2025.
- Hampton: No. 273, the same as 2025.
- Marymount: No. 273, up from 288 in 2025.
- ODU: No. 293, up from 296 in 2025.
- Radford: No. 329, down from 315 in 2025.
Plus, Virginia State University rose 15 spots among regional universities in the South to the No. 42 slot.
- And Randolph-Macon College cracked the top 100 National Liberal Arts Colleges list at No. 96.