Colleges in Virginia

They say “Virginia is for Lovers” and, with fifteen four-year public and nearly thirty four-year private colleges and universities, we couldn’t agree more: Virginia is indeed for lovers — lovers of higher learning! Let’s take a look at some of the top colleges and universities across the state.

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COLLEGES IN VIRGINIA

University of Virginia

Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, just east of the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains, this “public Ivy” ranked as the #3 Top Public School in the nation — beat out only by UC Berkeley and UCLA — and #25 in National Universities, according to U.S. News & World Report. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, UVA is known for its prestigious McIntire School of Commerce, ranked #8 in Best Undergraduate Business Programs, along with its major academic medical center-adjacent School of Nursing, ranked #15 in Nursing programs. You may have heard of alumni lovingly refer to the UVA “Grounds,” the UNESCO World Heritage Site campus, enjoyed by the university’s approximately 17,000 undergraduates (two-thirds of whom are from Virginia) and 6,500 graduate students. Undergraduates at UVA study in a wide array of majors, but liberal arts and social sciences take the cake at 22% and 14% of bachelor degrees conferred in 2021, respectively, with engineering trailing just shortly behind at 11%. Beyond coursework, undergraduates participate in research across 1.3 million square feet of labs and research space and contribute to the community through UVA’s many opportunities for student self-government. A public institution, UVA is also a major economic engine for the state of Virginia, annually contributing some nearly $6 billion in economic impact.

William & Mary

The second oldest institution of higher learning in America, William & Mary sits nestled on a beautiful campus between the James and York rivers in Williamsburg, VA. Like UVA, this “public Ivy” also ranks high among National Universities (#41) and Top Public Schools (#13) and is a major contributor to Virginia’s economy, generating about $1 billion annually for the state. The university further fuels its home state through its commitment to training the entrepreneurs of tomorrow in such programs as the Mason School of Business’ Alan B. Miller Entrepreneurship Center. Unlike UVA, William & Mary is more modest in size, with a total enrollment of just under 10,000 students, 6,800 of whom are undergraduates. Within this tight-knit community, in which 83% of classes have less than 40 students, there is a strong a commitment to undergraduate education, reflected in William & Mary’s impressive U.S. News & World Report ranking as #7 Best Undergraduate Teaching. William & Mary is a public research university, with 70% of all majors in STEM or other computational fields and a rich, interdisciplinary research environment for students to pursue hands-on research projects alongside faculty. William & Mary is also the perfect fit for history buffs: William & Mary alumni include four U.S. presidents (Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, John Tyler, and George Washington), its law school is the oldest in the nation, the first Greek-letter society (Phi Beta Kappa) was established here in 1776, and it’s the site of the oldest college building still standing in the U.S., the Sir Christopher Wren Building — despite catching fire on three separate occasions!

Virginia Tech

Rounding out Virginia’s presence among the 40 Top Public Schools is Virginia Tech, at #23. Located in Blacksburg, Virginia, just an hour west of Roanoke, Virginia Tech is the largest of the three, with an undergraduate population alone of just over 30,000. Virginia Tech is known for its engineering programs, which both offer the most popular majors among undergraduate students and supply more than half of the engineers of Virginia’s workforce. Indeed, Virginia Tech “Hokies” are committed to their home state: initiatives like the university’s Virginia Cooperative Extension (a collaboration with Virginia State University) apply research-backed solutions to changes facing Virginians today and reflect the university’s motto, Ut Prosim — That I May Serve. Students also give back through a number of impactful research institutes, including the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute of the Carilion School of Medicine, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, and the Hume Center, which is committed to addressing challenges related to cybersecurity.

James Madison University

Also renowned for its engineering program is public research institution James Madison University, located in Harrisonburg in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley: James Madison’s undergraduate program in Science, Technology, Engineering & Math ranks #18 Best Undergraduate Engineering Program among national universities. At James Madison, where just over 20,000 students comprise the undergraduate population, research and interdisciplinary inquiry suffuse the campus culture: the university’s Research and Scholarship administration facilitates research opportunities in which students, staff, and faculty work together to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems. First-year students also have the option to participate in the First Year Research Experience (FYRE) Program, in which they are matched with a faculty project and devote 80 hours to research over the course of the semester. Other popular areas of undergraduate study are reflected in James Madison University’s most popular majors, which include those in Health & Behavioral Studies, Business, and Communications.

Hampton University

A private university located near the Chesapeake Bay, Hampton University ranks #6 among the nation’s Historically Black Colleges & Universities. Comprising seven schools — the largest of which is the School of Liberal Arts & Education, followed by the School of Science and then the James T. George School of Business — Hampton University is committed to nurturing the leaders of tomorrow: students in the William R. Harvey Leadership Institute benefit from an interactive curriculum that is supplemented by a 400-hour service-learning internship; undergraduates in the Freddye T. Davy Honors College gain real-world experience through robust study abroad programs and internships; and the university dress code “[instills] a sense of integrity and an appreciation for values and ethics” across campus. The campus itself is historically rich: the Emancipation Oak, site of the first public reading of the Emancipation Proclamation in the South in 1863, still stands on campus today, and the Hampton University Museum houses art “which illustrate the cultures, heritages and histories of African, Native American, Oceanic and Asian peoples, as well as the works of contemporary African American, African and American Indian artists” for all to see.

Washington & Lee University

Tied at #11 among National Liberal Arts Colleges are the final two universities on our list: Washington & Lee University and University of Richmond. Washington & Lee, located in the mountains in Lexington, VA, is the 9th oldest college in the nation (noticing a trend?). It has a total student enrollment of fewer than 2,000 undergraduate students and just shy of 400 graduates. Unsurprisingly, 96% of classes enroll fewer than 25 students. Among the most popular areas of study at Washington & Lee are the social sciences, but despite Washington & Lee’s focus on the liberal arts, the university maintains robust programs one might typically expect at larger institutions, like its Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics (business/marketing is the second most popular undergraduate area of study), the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications, and the Engineering Program. Washington & Lee notably emphasizes several core tenets of the undergraduate experience: research, experiential and global learning, and responsible leadership. Johnson Endeavor grants support undergraduate summer research projects undertaken in students’ home countries. In the beloved 4-week spring term, students choose from approximately 200 opportunities to explore a topic in-depth alongside peers and faculty, either in the U.S. or abroad. And Johnson Scholarships and Opportunity Grants provide students with funds to pursue internships, community service, research, international experiences, and other projects during the summers.

University of Richmond

Rounding out our list is the University of Richmond “Spiders.” (U. Richmond is, to our knowledge, the only university with an arachnid mascot.) Like Washington & Lee, University of Richmond is a small school — one might even say itsy bitsy — with a total undergraduate enrollment of just over 3,000 and an average class size of 16 students. Through the School of Arts & Sciences, students choose from 24 departments and 12 interdisciplinary programs, but the most popular majors at this liberal arts school are actually in business or marketing. The Robins School of Business provides undergraduates with ample opportunities to build their skills and engage with experts beyond the campus: Executives in Residence, C-suite individuals from beyond the campus, regularly meet with students, providing insight and advice. Notable also among Richmond offerings is the Jepson School of Leadership Studies, the first undergraduate school of its kind in the nation, which prepares students to take on the leadership roles of tomorrow. And located just six miles from downtown Richmond, students enjoy daily shuttle service to the bustling city and activities, from canoeing to fishing to research, along the James River in equal measure.

Two other notable universities to check out: George Mason University, a public research university and home to “nearly 1,000 acres of land, waterways, forests, and buildings being used as a dynamic Living Lab for hands-on applied environmental research” and Roanoke University, a private liberal arts college located in Salem, Virginia and a “top Fulbright producing institution with a record six students for one year.”

WRAPPING UP

Not “loving” the college application process? At Top Tier Admissions, we guide students through each step of the journey. If you’re interested in Virginia’s many prestigious universities, our counselors will help walk you through an action plan to find the best fit for your next four years and make this dream a reality.