The University of Mary Washington has been recognized among the nation’s top schools by U.S. News & World Report, which released its 2023 “Best Colleges” list today. UMW ranked 11th among public liberal arts colleges and 149th among national liberal arts colleges, public and private.

This year’s U.S. News ranking marks a change in UMW’s Carnegie Classification category. Previously, UMW earned top marks as a public regional university, but with a longstanding mission to support – and record of excellence in – the public liberal arts and sciences, the University asked to be recategorized. In this edition, UMW joins public liberal arts peers, including the nation’s military academies, which perennially top the list.

Now in its 38th year, the U.S. News rankings evaluate more than 1,450 colleges and universities on up to 17 measures of academic quality.

“For nearly 40 years, the Best Colleges methodology has continuously evolved to reflect changes in the higher education landscape and the interests of prospective students,” said Kim Castro, editor and chief content officer at U.S. News. “Guiding that evolution is U.S. News’ mission of providing useful data and information to help with one of life’s biggest decisions.” Read more.

The University of Mary Washington is a premier, selective public liberal arts and sciences university in Virginia, highly respected for its commitment to academic excellence, strong undergraduate liberal arts and sciences program, and dedication to life-long learning. The university, with a total enrollment of more than 4,000, features colleges of business, education and arts and sciences, and three campuses, including a residential campus in Fredericksburg, Va., a second one in nearby Stafford and a third in Dahlgren, Va., which serves as a center of development of educational and research partnerships between the Navy, higher education institutions and the region’s employers.