The University of Mary Washington ranks among the top 10 public liberal arts colleges, according to the 2025 “Best Colleges” list released today by U.S. News & World Report. UMW ties for No. 9 in the prestigious list and ties 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). The new ranking puts UMW uniquely among the top colleges in the nation that are dedicated to the undergraduate experience and offer select graduate programs. It places UMW among the top 10, along with the Virginia Military Institution (VMI), 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.” Read more.
Applications for admission to UMW for fall 2025 are open now, with daily tours and info sessions, weekend visits and open houses, and ways to explore campus virtually. Visit https://www.umw.edu/admissions/apply/ to apply.
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 about 4,000, features colleges of business, education and arts and sciences, and three campuses, including a residential campus in Fredericksburg, Virginia, a second one in nearby Stafford and a third in Dahlgren, Virginia, which serves as a center of development of educational and research partnerships between the Navy, higher education institutions and the region’s employers.
