The University of Mary Washington has been recognized by Money, earning a top spot on its 2025 list of the “Best Colleges in America.”

Now in its 11th year, the annual ranking highlights more than 700 four-year institutions that deliver strong academics at an affordable cost and prepare students for success after graduation. Mary Washington received 3.5 stars on Money’s five-star rating scale and was one of 26 schools in Virginia to make the list.

Designed to help families make informed decisions about where to invest in higher education, Money’s rankings prioritize value, affordability and return on investment. Its analysis weighed over two dozen data points in three main categories: quality of education (30%), affordability (40%) and student outcomes (30%). Factors include graduation rates, net price of a degree, student debt, alumni earnings and economic mobility.

UMW’s inclusion in the value-focused list reflects its commitment to providing a high-quality liberal arts and sciences education that is both accessible and outcome driven. The University’s “Life After Mary Washington” initiative integrates career-readiness into curricular and co-curricular pursuits to ensure students are prepared for professional life and equipped to build experiences beyond graduation. 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 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.