UMW Soars Into National Top 5, Ranks No. 1 in Virginia for Internships

September 29, 2026

Sarah Hertz Mahoney

brick building on the University of Mary Washington campus — The University of Mary Washington has soared into the national top five among public universities for Internships and Making an Impact in The Princeton Review’s Best Value Colleges for 2027, earning the No. 1 spot in Virginia for Internships.

The University of Mary Washington has soared into the national top five among public universities for Internships and Making an Impact in The Princeton Review’s Best Value Colleges for 2027, earning the No. 1 spot in Virginia for Internships.

UMW is one of 209 colleges and universities nationwide – and just eight in Virginia – named a Best Value College for 2027. Five Virginia public institutions made the list. UMW ranked No. 4 on The Princeton Review’s list of Top 20 Best Schools for Making an Impact among public schools and No. 5 for Internships.

“Mary Washington’s value comes from the combination of an outstanding education and the opportunities our students have to put that education into practice,” said UMW President Troy Paino. “Our students are known, supported and challenged here, while gaining access to experiences that prepare them to contribute in meaningful ways in their professions and communities.”

UMW climbed seven spots for Making an Impact and 13 spots for Internships from The Princeton Review’s previous Best Value rankings, released in 2025, when Mary Washington ranked No. 11 and No. 18.

The Princeton Review bases its Internships ranking on students’ ratings of the accessibility of internship placement at their schools. Its Making an Impact ranking draws on student responses about community service opportunities, student government, sustainability efforts and on-campus student engagement.

A girl wearing gloves digs in a squared-off section of dirt with a trowel

A male wearing headphones stands in a green room with cameras

A woman pointing at a computer monitor sits beside a female student

A student stands in a vessel on the water while holding an electronic measuring device

Kai Otero ’25 works during a internship in the Monticello-UVA Archaeological Field School program.

Matthew Clinton ’26 completed a video production internship with Mary Washington’s University Communications department.

Lucia Donley ’26 completed an internship at SimVentions, alongside Chief Operating Officer Megan Carter Shepherd ’94.

Kate Stoneman ’26 completed an internship on the Chesapeake Bay with the Smithsonian.

UMW is the only public university in Virginia with experiential learning in its core curriculum, with students taking their education beyond the classroom through internships, undergraduate research, community engagement and study abroad. At Mary Washington, students can pursue those kinds of experiences through faculty-mentored research, field experiences, international study, community-based work and other opportunities that connect academic work with experience beyond the classroom.

The Princeton Review selected 209 institutions for its 2027 Best Value Colleges list from more than 650 colleges and universities surveyed in 2025-26. The company considered more than 40 data points covering academics, affordability and career preparation in determining its return-on-investment ratings. UMW received an ROI rating of 85 out of 99.

The Princeton Review does not rank all 209 Best Value Colleges hierarchically; instead, its report includes seven categories of ranking lists, with separate rankings for public and private institutions.

Several students pose for the camera wearing "I heart voting" T-shirts

A group of college students pose with younger children inside a school

Three University of Mary Washington students stand next to Santa in front of a preschool classroom while assisting with the distribution of gift boxes.

Several people stand on a leafy ground wearing neon yellow vests and holding shovels and other garden tools

UMW’s Global Medical Brigade chapter spent time in Central America bringing essential health care services to an underserved community.

UMW has a strong history of encouraging civic engagement, which contributes toward its high ranking for Making an Impact in the recent Princeton Review college rankings.

UMW students volunteer in local schools through the Bigs in Schools program.

Mary Washington student leaders from COAR (Community Outreach and Resources) stand beside Santa and help hand out gift boxes to a preschool class during the annual gift box delivery at the Walker-Grant Center. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

The University of Mary Washington’s stellar reputation for community service contributed toward its high ranking for Making an Impact, according to the most recent rankings from Princeton Review.

“We congratulate the University of Mary Washington and all the exceptional institutions that made our ‘Best Value Colleges for 2027’ lists,” said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review. “In our opinion, they are truly the most exceptional in the nation at delivering outstanding academics, affordable cost and great career foundations.”

The latest Best Value recognition follows UMW’s inclusion in The Princeton Review’s The Best 392 Colleges: 2027 Edition, released in August. In those rankings, UMW earned recognition across multiple categories, including a No. 12 national ranking for Best College Theatre.

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