{"id":107126,"date":"2025-09-23T08:55:55","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T12:55:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/?p=107126"},"modified":"2025-09-23T11:53:24","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T15:53:24","slug":"umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/23\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\/","title":{"rendered":"UMW Rises to No. 8 in U.S. News Ranking of Top Public Liberal Arts Colleges"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_107128\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-107128\" style=\"width: 375px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/23\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\/fall-branded-shoot-2023-3\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-107128\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"107128\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/23\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\/fall-branded-shoot-2023-3\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/fall-trees-with-signage-e1758632051359.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"7836,4754\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Parker Michels-Boyce&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS R5&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;UMW Fall Branded Photoshoot 2023&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1698175656&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Parker Michels-Boyce&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;165&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;320&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0015625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Fall Branded Shoot 2023&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;UMW tied for No. 8 in the 2026 U.S News &amp;amp; World Report \u201cBest Colleges\u201d ranking, up one place from last year in the National Liberal Arts College &amp;#8211; Top Public School category.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/fall-trees-with-signage-e1758632051359-300x182.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/fall-trees-with-signage-e1758632051359-1024x621.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-107128\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/fall-trees-with-signage-e1758632051359-300x182.jpg\" alt=\"The University of Mary Washington has climbed to No. 8 among the nation\u2019s Top Public Liberal Arts Colleges in the 2026 U.S. News &amp; World Report rankings.\" width=\"375\" height=\"227\" srcset=\"\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/fall-trees-with-signage-e1758632051359-300x182.jpg 300w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/fall-trees-with-signage-e1758632051359-1024x621.jpg 1024w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/fall-trees-with-signage-e1758632051359-768x466.jpg 768w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/fall-trees-with-signage-e1758632051359-1536x932.jpg 1536w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/fall-trees-with-signage-e1758632051359-2048x1242.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-107128\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The University of Mary Washington has climbed to No. 8 among the nation\u2019s Top Public Liberal Arts Colleges in the 2026 U.S. News &amp; World Report rankings.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The University of Mary Washington continues to stand among the nation\u2019s best, earning a Top 10 spot in the 2026 U.S News &amp; World Report \u201cBest Colleges\u201d ranking released today.<\/p>\n<p>UMW tied for No. 8 on the prestigious list of Top Public Schools \u2013 National Liberal Arts Colleges, up one place from last year. In the overall ranking of national liberal arts colleges, which includes both public and private institutions, Mary Washington tied for No. 131.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRecognition from U.S. News affirms what our students and alumni already know \u2013 that Mary Washington provides a powerful undergraduate experience rooted in close faculty mentorship, small classes and meaningful opportunities beyond the classroom,\u201d said UMW President Troy Paino.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the Top Public Schools ranking, several UMW programs were recognized on individual lists, including No. 335 Undergraduate Business Programs, No. 367 Undergraduate Psychology Programs, No. 410 Undergraduate Computer Science Programs and No. 480 Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs. UMW ranks No. 177 among Top Performers on Social Mobility.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. News methodology incorporates more than 80 measures designed to highlight colleges that excel in academics, affordability, social mobility, teaching and outcomes. Nearly 1,500 U.S. institutions are ranked across 10 broad categories, from National Liberal Arts Colleges to Regional Universities, so that schools are compared with peers that share a similar mission.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tiled-gallery type-rectangular tiled-gallery-unresized\" data-original-width=\"1100\" data-carousel-extra='{&quot;blog_id&quot;:7,&quot;permalink&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/23\\\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\\\/&quot;,&quot;likes_blog_id&quot;:230672515}' itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageGallery\" > <div class=\"gallery-row\" style=\"width: 1100px; height: 495px;\" data-original-width=\"1100\" data-original-height=\"495\" > <div class=\"gallery-group images-1\" style=\"width: 740px; height: 495px;\" data-original-width=\"740\" data-original-height=\"495\" > <div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\" itemprop=\"associatedMedia\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/23\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\/spring-branded-photo-shoot-2024-photo-by-parker-michels-boyce-6\/\" border=\"0\" itemprop=\"url\"> <meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"736\"> <meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"491\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" data-attachment-id=\"107129\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/240424_umw_spring_branded-2436.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"8192,5464\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.2&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Parker Michels-Boyce&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS R5&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Spring branded photo shoot 2024. Photo by Parker Michels-Boyce&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1713965554&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Parker Michels-Boyce Photography&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;35&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;320&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Spring branded photo shoot 2024. Photo by Parker Michels-Boyce&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Geography students do hands-on research with a faculty member at the Crow&amp;#8217;s Nest conservation area. Opportunities to do original research are among the many hands-on learning experiences available to UMW students. Photo by Parker Michels-Boyce&lt;\/p&gt; \" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/240424_umw_spring_branded-2436-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/240424_umw_spring_branded-2436-1024x683.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/240424_umw_spring_branded-2436.jpg?w=736&#038;h=491&#038;ssl=1\" srcset=\"\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/240424_umw_spring_branded-2436.jpg 8192w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/240424_umw_spring_branded-2436-300x200.jpg 300w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/240424_umw_spring_branded-2436-1024x683.jpg 1024w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/240424_umw_spring_branded-2436-768x512.jpg 768w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/240424_umw_spring_branded-2436-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" width=\"736\" height=\"491\" loading=\"lazy\" data-original-width=\"736\" data-original-height=\"491\" itemprop=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/image\" title=\"\" alt=\"Geography students do hands-on research with a faculty member at the Crow&#039;s Nest conservation area. Opportunities to do original research are among the many hands-on learning experiences available to UMW students. Photo by Parker Michels-Boyce\" style=\"width: 736px; height: 491px;\" \/> <\/a> <div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\" itemprop=\"caption description\"> Geography students do hands-on research with a faculty member at the Crow&#8217;s Nest conservation area. Opportunities to do original research are among the many hands-on learning experiences available to UMW students. Photo by Parker Michels-Boyce <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!-- close group --> <div class=\"gallery-group images-2\" style=\"width: 360px; height: 495px;\" data-original-width=\"360\" data-original-height=\"495\" > <div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\" itemprop=\"associatedMedia\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/23\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\/photographer-270\/\" border=\"0\" itemprop=\"url\"> <meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"356\"> <meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"239\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" data-attachment-id=\"107131\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Jazz-Ensemble-13-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1721\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.2&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Norm Shafer&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;X-T1&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Jazz Ensemble. October 15, 2014. (Photo by Norm Shafer).&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1413331200&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Norm Shafer@2014&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;18&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1000&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00555555555556&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Photographer&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Jazz-Ensemble-13-300x202.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Jazz-Ensemble-13-1024x688.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Jazz-Ensemble-13-scaled.jpg?w=356&#038;h=239&#038;ssl=1\" srcset=\"\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Jazz-Ensemble-13-scaled.jpg 2560w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Jazz-Ensemble-13-300x202.jpg 300w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Jazz-Ensemble-13-1024x688.jpg 1024w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Jazz-Ensemble-13-768x516.jpg 768w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Jazz-Ensemble-13-1536x1033.jpg 1536w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Jazz-Ensemble-13-2048x1377.jpg 2048w\" width=\"356\" height=\"239\" loading=\"lazy\" data-original-width=\"356\" data-original-height=\"239\" itemprop=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/image\" title=\"\" alt=\"Members of the University of Mary Washington Jazz Ensemble rehearse. The group performs contemporary jazz arrangements and big band favorites. Photo by Norm Shafer.\" style=\"width: 356px; height: 239px;\" \/> <\/a> <div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\" itemprop=\"caption description\"> Members of the University of Mary Washington Jazz Ensemble rehearse. The group performs contemporary jazz arrangements and big band favorites. Photo by Norm Shafer. <\/div> <\/div> <div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\" itemprop=\"associatedMedia\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/23\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\/umw-shoot-02-21-23-7\/\" border=\"0\" itemprop=\"url\"> <meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"356\"> <meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"248\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" data-attachment-id=\"107133\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW_0221202391-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1785\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Tom Rothenberg&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D4S&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1677025280&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;2023\\\/Tom Rothenberg&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;110&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;2800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;UMW shoot 02.21.23&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW_0221202391-300x209.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW_0221202391-1024x714.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW_0221202391-scaled.jpg?w=356&#038;h=248&#038;ssl=1\" srcset=\"\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW_0221202391-scaled.jpg 2560w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW_0221202391-300x209.jpg 300w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW_0221202391-1024x714.jpg 1024w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW_0221202391-768x536.jpg 768w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW_0221202391-1536x1071.jpg 1536w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW_0221202391-2048x1428.jpg 2048w\" width=\"356\" height=\"248\" loading=\"lazy\" data-original-width=\"356\" data-original-height=\"248\" itemprop=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/image\" title=\"\" alt=\"A UMW student tries out a pair of virtual reality goggles. High-tech learning, including sessions on artificial intelligence, is a top priority at Mary Washington.\" style=\"width: 356px; height: 248px;\" \/> <\/a> <div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\" itemprop=\"caption description\"> A UMW student tries out a pair of virtual reality goggles. High-tech learning, including sessions on artificial intelligence, is a top priority at Mary Washington. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!-- close group --> <\/div> <!-- close row --> <div class=\"gallery-row\" style=\"width: 1100px; height: 383px;\" data-original-width=\"1100\" data-original-height=\"383\" > <div class=\"gallery-group images-1\" style=\"width: 566px; height: 383px;\" data-original-width=\"566\" data-original-height=\"383\" > <div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\" itemprop=\"associatedMedia\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/23\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\/photographer-271\/\" border=\"0\" itemprop=\"url\"> <meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"562\"> <meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"379\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" data-attachment-id=\"107132\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Tech-class-1-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1725\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Norm Shafer&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;X-T1&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Technical Production class, Klein Theater, October 15, 2014. (Photo by Norm Shafer).&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1413331200&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Norm Shafer@2014&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;18&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Photographer&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Tech-class-1-300x202.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Tech-class-1-1024x690.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Tech-class-1-scaled.jpg?w=562&#038;h=379&#038;ssl=1\" srcset=\"\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Tech-class-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Tech-class-1-300x202.jpg 300w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Tech-class-1-1024x690.jpg 1024w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Tech-class-1-768x518.jpg 768w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Tech-class-1-1536x1035.jpg 1536w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Tech-class-1-2048x1380.jpg 2048w\" width=\"562\" height=\"379\" loading=\"lazy\" data-original-width=\"562\" data-original-height=\"379\" itemprop=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/image\" title=\"\" alt=\"Students work to construct props for an upcoming dramatic performance. UMW Theatre students learn about set construction, costume making and more, and they go on to careers on Broadway and beyond.\" style=\"width: 562px; height: 379px;\" \/> <\/a> <div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\" itemprop=\"caption description\"> Students work to construct props for an upcoming dramatic performance. UMW Theatre students learn about set construction, costume making and more, and they go on to careers on Broadway and beyond. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!-- close group --> <div class=\"gallery-group images-1\" style=\"width: 534px; height: 383px;\" data-original-width=\"534\" data-original-height=\"383\" > <div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\" itemprop=\"associatedMedia\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/23\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\/umw-shoot-10272022-3\/\" border=\"0\" itemprop=\"url\"> <meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"530\"> <meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"379\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" data-attachment-id=\"107134\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW79.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2400,1714\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Tom Rothenberg&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D5&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Yokabit Ayele&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1666895491&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;2022\\\/Tom Rothenberg&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;70&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;400&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;UMW shoot 10272022&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW79-300x214.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW79-1024x731.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW79.jpg?w=530&#038;h=379&#038;ssl=1\" srcset=\"\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW79.jpg 2400w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW79-300x214.jpg 300w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW79-1024x731.jpg 1024w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW79-768x548.jpg 768w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW79-1536x1097.jpg 1536w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/TR_UMW79-2048x1463.jpg 2048w\" width=\"530\" height=\"379\" loading=\"lazy\" data-original-width=\"530\" data-original-height=\"379\" itemprop=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/image\" title=\"\" alt=\"A student works on a research project inside UMW\u2019s Jepson Science Center, home to UMW&#039;s newly established School of Science, which includes the biological sciences, chemistry and physics departments, and earth and environmental science.\" style=\"width: 530px; height: 379px;\" \/> <\/a> <div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\" itemprop=\"caption description\"> A student works on a research project inside UMW\u2019s Jepson Science Center, home to UMW&#8217;s newly established Irene Piscopo Rodgers School of Science, which includes the biological sciences, chemistry and physics departments, and earth and environmental science. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!-- close group --> <\/div> <!-- close row --> <\/div>\n<p>The annual \u201cBest Colleges\u201d rankings provide prospective students and their families with the comparative merits of the undergraduate programs at America\u2019s colleges and universities. The rankings offer detailed information about the institutions and data on factors considered in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/education\/best-colleges\/articles\/rankings-methodologies\">methodology<\/a>, such as graduation rates, graduate indebtedness and post-graduate earnings.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cU.S. News\u2019 \u2018Best Colleges\u2019 remains a reliable resource for prospective students and their families as they navigate the college selection process,\u201d said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News. \u201cWith over half of the ranking factors dedicated to student outcomes, the rankings and editorial content provide vital data, college advice and informed reporting to every student pursuing higher education.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The ranking follows a series of recent national recognitions for UMW, including being named among The Princeton Review\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2025\/08\/12\/umw-included-among-nations-best-in-princeton-reviews-best-colleges-guide\/\">Best Colleges<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/26\/umw-tops-the-list-for-internships-making-an-impact-as-one-of-the-best-values-in-the-princeton-review\/\">Best Value Colleges<\/a>, with specialized rankings for Making an Impact and Internships. <em>Fiske Guide to Colleges<\/em> named UMW one of the nation\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2025\/08\/18\/fiske-guide-to-colleges-recognizes-umw-among-nations-best\/\">best and most interesting<\/a>\u201d schools in its latest edition, and Money highlighted UMW on its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2025\/08\/04\/umw-makes-moneys-2025-best-colleges-in-america-list\/\">Best Colleges in America<\/a> list for affordability and return on investment.<\/p>\n<p>Other recent rankings include <em>Washington Monthly<\/em> placing UMW No. 88 among liberal arts colleges and No. 97 in its Best Bang for the Buck list, citing affordability and service. <em>Forbes<\/em> included UMW among America\u2019s Top Colleges, ranking it 316 based on undergraduate outcomes.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/admissions\/apply\/\">Applications for admission<\/a> to UMW for fall 2026 are open now, with daily tours, info sessions and weekend visits available as well as ways to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youvisit.com\/tour\/umw\">explore the campus virtually<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/admissions.umw.edu\/portal\/visits\">Fall open houses<\/a> are scheduled for <a href=\"https:\/\/admissions.umw.edu\/register\/SeptemberOpenHouse2025\">Sept. 27<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/admissions.umw.edu\/register\/OctoberOpenHouse2025\">Oct. 18<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/admissions.umw.edu\/register\/NovemberOpenHouse2025\">Nov. 8<\/a>, offering a firsthand look at academic programs, student life and the admissions process.<\/p>\n<p><em>Learn more about<\/em> the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.usnews.com\/best-colleges\"><strong><em>2026 edition<\/em><\/strong><\/a> <em>of the U.S. News Best Colleges rankings<\/em><em> and its methodology or explore\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/about\/national-rankings\/\"><em><strong>UMW\u2019s national rankings<\/strong><\/em><\/a><em>\u00a0webpage for additional recognitions<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The University of Mary Washington continues to stand among the nation\u2019s best, earning a Top 10 spot in the 2026 U.S News &amp; World Report \u201cBest Colleges\u201d ranking released today. UMW tied for No. 8 on the prestigious list of Top Public Schools \u2013 National Liberal Arts Colleges, up one place from last year. In [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5200,"featured_media":107127,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"umw_cb_additional_links":[[]],"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_advisory_expires_time":"","_advisory_meta_include":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[704],"tags":[],"topics":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-107126","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-stories","8":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UMW Rises to No. 8 in U.S. News Ranking of Top Public Liberal Arts Colleges - News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/23\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UMW Rises to No. 8 in U.S. News Ranking of Top Public Liberal Arts Colleges\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The University of Mary Washington continues to stand among the nation\u2019s best, earning a Top 10 spot in the 2026 U.S News &amp; World Report \u201cBest Colleges\u201d ranking released today. UMW tied for No. 8 on the prestigious list of Top Public Schools \u2013 National Liberal Arts Colleges, up one place from last year. In [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/23\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UniversityofMaryWashington\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-09-23T12:55:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-09-23T15:53:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/NewRelease_FallTrees.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"413\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sarah Hertz Mahoney\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@UMaryWash\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@UMaryWash\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sarah Hertz Mahoney\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/23\\\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/23\\\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Sarah Hertz Mahoney\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/ca489a61d7afe14e7dc34df87cbafec2\"},\"headline\":\"UMW Rises to No. 8 in U.S. News Ranking of Top Public Liberal Arts Colleges\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-09-23T12:55:55+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-09-23T15:53:24+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/23\\\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":567,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/23\\\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/NewRelease_FallTrees.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Top Stories\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/23\\\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/23\\\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/23\\\/umw-rises-to-no-8-in-u-s-news-ranking-of-top-public-liberal-arts-colleges\\\/\",\"name\":\"UMW Rises to No. 8 in U.S. News Ranking of Top Public Liberal Arts Colleges - 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