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Best Schools in Virginia

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2023 Best Schools in Virginia

30 Schools Ranked
$42,883 Average Earnings
$23,319 Avg Student Debt

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school or bootcamp that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Grad Degree Search has developed this Best Schools in Virginia ranking. This report analyzed 30 schools in Virginia to see which ones offered the best programs for students.

View our full ranking methodology.

Top Schools in Virginia

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia

Our 2023 rankings named University of Virginia - Main Campus the best school in Virginia for students working on their degree.

Full University of Virginia - Main Campus Report

The excellent programs at University of Management and Technology helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Virginia.

Full University of Management and Technology Report

#3

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

The excellent programs at Virginia Tech helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Virginia.

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#4

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia

Out of the 30 schools in Virginia that were part of this year’s ranking, William & Mary landed the # 4 spot on the list.

Read full report on William & Mary

#5

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia

The excellent programs at James Madison University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Virginia.

Full James Madison University Report

#6

George Mason University

Fairfax, Virginia

George Mason University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best programs.

Read full report on George Mason University

#7

Christopher Newport University

Newport News, Virginia

Christopher Newport University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Schools in Virginia list.

Read full report on Christopher Newport University

#8

Shenandoah University

Winchester, Virginia

Shenandoah University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #8 on the list.

Full Shenandoah University Report

#9

Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg, Virginia

Eastern Mennonite University landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best programs.

Full Eastern Mennonite University Report

#10

University of Richmond

University of Richmond, Virginia

University of Richmond came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Virginia ranking.

Full University of Richmond Report

#11

University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg, Virginia

University of Lynchburg came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Virginia ranking.

Full University of Lynchburg Report

#12

Radford University

Radford, Virginia

With a ranking of #12, Radford University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

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#13

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, Virginia

Virginia Commonwealth University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Virginia ranking.

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#14

University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg, Virginia

University of Mary Washington ranked #14 on this year’s Best Schools in Virginia list.

Full University of Mary Washington Report

#15

Marymount University

Arlington, Virginia

Marymount University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Virginia ranking.

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#16

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, Virginia

With a ranking of #16, Old Dominion University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

Read full report on Old Dominion University

#17

Bridgewater College

Bridgewater, Virginia

Bridgewater College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Virginia ranking.

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#18

Longwood University

Farmville, Virginia

Longwood University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Schools in Virginia list.

Full Longwood University Report

#19

Hampton University

Hampton, Virginia

Hampton University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Schools in Virginia list.

Read full report on Hampton University

#20

Bluefield College

Bluefield, Virginia

Bluefield College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Schools in Virginia list.

Read full report on Bluefield College

#21

Mary Baldwin University

Staunton, Virginia

Mary Baldwin University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #21 on the list.

Full Mary Baldwin University Report

#22

Liberty University

Lynchburg, Virginia

Liberty University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Schools in Virginia list.

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#23

Virginia State University

Petersburg, Virginia

Virginia State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Virginia ranking.

Read full report on Virginia State University

#24

Norfolk State University

Norfolk, Virginia

With a ranking of #24, Norfolk State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

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#25

Regent University

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Regent University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #25 on the list.

Full Regent University Report

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

References

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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