What do they say about us?

UMW is proud to be recognized for an unfailing dedication to a quality liberal arts education.

  • The Princeton Review Best Value Colleges, 2027. UMW was named one of 209 Best Value Colleges nationwide and ranked among the top five public universities in two categories: No. 4 for Making an Impact and No. 5 for Internships. Mary Washington earned the No. 1 spot in Virginia for Internships. The rankings recognize colleges that combine strong academics, affordability and career preparation.
  • The Princeton Review, 2027. UMW was featured in The Princeton Review’s “The Best 392 Colleges: 2027 Edition,” which profiles only about 14 percent of the nation’s 2,800 four-year colleges. UMW Theatre climbed three spots this year to No. 12 nationally for Best College Theatre, marking the fourth consecutive year the program has landed among The Princeton Review’s Top 25.
  • U.S. News & World Report, 2027. UMW ranked No. 9 among the nation’s Top Public Liberal Arts Colleges in U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 Best Colleges rankings, marking its fourth consecutive year in the top 10. Mary Washington also earned national recognition for undergraduate programs in psychology, business and computer science, as well as nursing and social mobility.
  • Forbes, 2027. “America’s Top Colleges” ranked UMW No. 297 among 500 institutions nationwide, based on educational and career outcomes.
  • Niche, 2027. UMW earned an A+ for Future Readiness, placing it among the top 2.5% of colleges nationally, and an A for Student Wellness.
  • Fiske Guide to Colleges, 2027. UMW is featured in this guide of more than 300 of the “best and most interesting” public and private colleges and universities in the nation, as well as Canada, Great Britain and Ireland. The guide notes that as a “public liberal arts and sciences university, it offers a comparable amount of history and tradition albeit for a lower price,” than private schools – reporting “few schools stack up to this small college in Fredericksburg.”
  • TIME, 2026-27. UMW ranked No. 416 among 500 institutions on TIME’s inaugural “America’s Best Colleges” list and was one of 12 Virginia institutions recognized.
  • Washington Monthly, 2026. UMW ranked No. 90 in the Southeast on the “Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars” list, which considers access, affordability, student outcomes and community service.
  • Money, 2026. In the 12th edition of Money’s flagship “Best Colleges in America” list of more than 700 four-year institutions, UMW earned 4 stars out of 5, up from 3.5 in 2025. UMW scored high marks for estimated price, as one of the most affordable among the Virginia schools on the list. Money’s annual list features schools where students are most likely to graduate and land jobs with goal of helping families and students ensure money and time are well spent.
  • WalletHub Best College & University Rankings, 2026. UMW ranked 9th in Virginia as one of the nation’s top-performing schools with the lowest possible costs to undergraduates.
  • The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges, 2025. UMW received a spot on this environmentally conscious list, which assesses campus sustainability practices along with students’ perspectives on “green” campus experiences.
  • Poets&Quants, 2025. UMW landed 84th overall in this prestigious list of “Best Undergraduate Business Schools,” which considers admission standards, academic experience and career outcomes. The University claimed 34th in the “academic experience” category, landing in the survey’s top third. The survey also revealed that Mary Washington alumni would recommend their alma mater, giving it a ranking of 9.5 out of 10.
  • Peace Corps, 2025. UMW made the Peace Corps’ list of the top 10 volunteer-producing schools for 2025 in the small college category, for institutions with fewer than 5,000 undergraduates. Mary Washington has been included regularly on this prestigious list since 2005.
  • College Magazine, January, 2021. UMW ranked No. 1 in the “I Came, I Saw, I Crushed This Major: Top 10 Best Classics Schools” feature.
  • College of Distinction, 2021. Earning accolades in the “Colleges of Virginia Distinction” and “Public Colleges of Distinction” categories, UMW was praised for its innovative programming, attention to career development, sense of community, commitment to service learning and outstanding faculty.
  • Intelligent.com, 2021. UMW listed among its list of best colleges in Virginia, and was named “Best for Adult Learners.”
  • Student Fulbright Awards, 2020. UMW ranked 7th in the nation among small colleges and universities with fewer than 5,000 undergraduates, by U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
  • Schools.com, 2020. UMW’s English program ranks No. 3 nationwide: “English is a major offered at virtually all liberal arts schools, but not all programs are created equal.”
  • College Factual, 2020. UMW ranked among the nation’s top 10 percent on the Best for the Money Without Aid list and among the nation’s top 15 percent on its Overall Best list of schools in the Southeast region and Best Overall Colleges for Veterans list; 56th out of the 580 programs reviewed for its Best History Colleges for Veterans list; among the nation’s top five percent for most-focused history programs; among the nation’s top one percent for most-focused English program; among the nation’s top one percent overall, top one percent for highest paid grads, top five percent for most-focused programs, and top five percent for veterans and returning adults for its geography program; and among the nation’s top five percent for highest paid grads for its political science and business administration programs.
  • College Factual/USA Today, 2020. UMW’s Geography program ranked No. 1 in the Southeast region, and the publication named its geography alumni to the top spot among the highest paid in the field.
  • Learn.org, 2020. UMW placed 16th on its “Top 50 Schools With Psychology Bachelor Programs” list.
  • Value Colleges, 2019. UMW placed 25th on its list of the country’s top 50 best-value schools.
  • Top RN to BSN, 2019. UMW’s nursing education program ranked 7th in Virginia for quality, affordability and job-market reputation.
  • Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, 2018. UMW ranked among the top 100 Best Value Public Colleges and top 300 Best College Values.