U.S. News & World Report has ranked the University of Mary Washington among the top 10 public liberal arts colleges in the United States.
The ranking is according to the 2025 “Best Colleges” list released today. UMW tied for No. 9 in the prestigious list and tied for No. 132 in national liberal arts, for both public and private universities.
In just two years since joining the Carnegie Classification category of undergraduate arts and sciences, following a long period of being listed among public regional universities, UMW ranks among the top 10 in the category.
The nation’s military academies and public honors colleges perennially top the list, along with state designated liberal arts colleges in the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC).
Today’s ranking puts UMW uniquely among the top colleges in the nation dedicated to the undergraduate experience and offer select graduate programs. The ranking also places UMW among the top 10, along with the Virginia Military Institute, showcasing the mission-driven focus of higher education in the commonwealth.
“Altogether, the rankings are a guide for discovering the best fit schools predicated on academics and personal considerations,” according to the U.S. News mission. “Based on statistics, the top-ranked schools provided ample classroom resources for students and faculty; conferred bachelor’s degrees at high rates; and produced graduates who entered the workforce with manageable debt and worthwhile starting salaries.”
Nearly 1,500 four-year bachelor’s degree institutions were ranked by U.S. News and grouped in 10 overall rankings with colleges and universities that share similar academic missions.
UMW programs also made U.S. News lists for 2025, such as the undergraduate business program advancing to the top 400 tier and the undergraduate computer science program earning an inaugural spot on the list in the 328 range. UMW is in the top 400 in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program rankings include UMW, and the university’s undergraduate psychology program is now among the top 300 in the United States.
UMW is also included in the “Top Performers for Social Mobility” roster for efforts to advance opportunities for economically disadvantaged students.
In early 2024, UMW ranked highly on Washington Monthly’s list of liberal arts colleges and was named a “Best Bang for the Buck” school. UMW is included in The Best 390 Colleges by The Princeton Review, and Money magazine recognizes UMW among the “Best Colleges in America” for quality, affordability and future earning potential.
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Rebecca Barnabi
