University of Virginia Ranking – Introduction
The University of Virginia is a public university located in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, UVA has been a pioneer research university for over two hundred years. If the University of Virginia is on your college list, you should learn as much about the school as possible. One helpful piece of information to look at is the University of Virginia ranking. However, knowing the University of Virginia ranking is not as simple as looking at one number. In fact, there are several different University of Virginia rankings out there.
In this University of Virginia ranking guide, we will cover the different UVA ranking websites. We’ll also discuss the importance of national college rankings in general. Finally, we’ll break down what the UVA ranking means for your application.
What is UVA ranked?
According to US News, the UVA ranking is #25 among national universities.
Different UVA ranking websites will use different metrics to discern the University of Virginia ranking. The most reliable national college rankings are US News college rankings, Forbes college rankings, and Wall Street Journal college rankings. So, to find the most accurate University of Virginia ranking, consult all three of these websites. Then, compare the information provided and focus on the attributes that matter most to you.
So, let’s take a look at the University of Virginia ranking in US News, the University of Virginia ranking in Forbes, and the University of Virginia ranking in Wall Street Journal. Together, these individual UVA rankings combine to create a more holistic picture of the UVA ranking.
US News College Rankings:
The US News college rankings place the University of Virginia ranking at #25 among all national universities. The University of Virginia ranking in US News is the same as that of NYU, the University of Michigan, and the University of Southern California—three other large, elite colleges. These schools each have star-studded reputations.
Forbes College Rankings:
The Forbes College Rankings website places the University of Virginia ranking at #29 among all national universities. Forbes positions the University of Virginia ranking directly between their UNC-Chapel Hill rankings and UC Irvine rankings. These two schools are considered public ivies, and their rankings match the high UVA rankings. Both Forbes and US News place their UVA rankings in the top 10 public universities in the country. So, when it comes to peer institutions, the UVA ranking is very high.
Wall Street Journal College Rankings
The Wall Street Journal college rankings places the University of Virginia ranking at #55 among national universities. The University of Virginia ranking in Wall Street Journal is much lower than the UVA rankings in US News or Forbes. The disparity in UVA rankings reflects the different metrics these sources use. After all, ranking colleges is not an exact science. Different websites use different factors to calculate national college rankings, including the UVA rankings
University of Virginia Ranking World
These college ranking websites also compare universities in the US with top colleges around the world. So, let’s take a look at the UVA rankings compared to schools beyond the US.
Certainly, the presence of international colleges will affect the University of Virginia ranking. On the US News college rankings website, the University of Virginia ranking worldwide is #119. Of course, this number is much lower than the UVA ranking in the US. However, this lower University of Virginia ranking does not make UVA a weak school internationally. In fact, students come from across the world to attend UVA—eighty-three countries are represented in the UVA class of 2027.
You won’t find a UVA ranking in the world from Forbes, as the Forbes college rankings focus solely on US schools. However, the Wall Street Journal college rankings do incorporate international universities into their lists. The University of Virginia ranking worldwide among international universities is #156 according to WSJ. Because there are so many elite universities around the world, it is very difficult to crack the top 100, even for a prestigious university like UVA.
Is the University of Virginia prestigious?
We’ve discussed the high University of Virginia rankings from Forbes, WSJ, and US News. Now, you might wonder whether the University of Virginia is a prestigious university.
The answer is yes. In fact, the high University of Virginia rankings indicate UVA’s prestige. UVA is also considered one of the “public ivies.” This means that it has near-Ivy League quality academics without the high Ivy League price tag (particularly for in-state students).
In addition to the high University of Virginia rankings, UVA also offers some high-profile scholarships. The Jefferson Scholarship and the Walentas Scholarship are two of UVA’s most valuable awards. Both scholarships cover the full cost of attendance.
Students must also be nominated by a principal or other school official. This adds to the prestige of these competitive merit scholarships. So, if you’re thinking a lot about the University of Virginia ranking, you might consider applying for this scholarship. For more information, check out our article.
What are college rankings?
National college rankings indicate a school’s quality and reputation among other colleges and universities. College ranking websites use a variety of factors to determine rankings, including the UVA rankings. These factors include academic resources, financial value, and level of student engagement.
A high college ranking often means that a school provides both a stellar education along with an engaging campus environment. This means that a college ranking provides a holistic look at a school’s overall quality and prestige. However, these rankings can also differ from year to year and from website to website.
As previously mentioned, college rankings can help you learn more about a college on your list. But, you also want to ensure whatever school you explore fits your personal interests and goals. Although the University of Virginia rankings indicate that UVA is a top school, that does not mean it fits your needs. Use the University of Virginia rankings and the CollegeAdvisor.com guide as a starting point in your research. Then, do more digging by visiting the college or talking to current students.
University of Virginia Rankings – Reliable Sources
Let’s take a closer look at how college rankings work and which sources are most reliable. The three most reliable sources—US News, Forbes, and Wall Street Journal—all use slightly different methods to determine their national college rankings. However, they all use official data and statistics to determine their results. These college rankings lists have also been around for many years. As such, they have developed a reputation for reliability.
US News, which has been around for 38 years, uses seventeen different metrics when evaluating schools. They focus on academic factors like faculty resources, graduation rates, and academic reputation. They deliberately exclude subjective factors like social scene and campus atmosphere.
Forbes places particular emphasis on value and return on investment. Essentially, Forbes looks to ensure that a school’s education is worth the price they charge. This focus on value is the main reason why two schools in the UC public university system (UCLA and Berkeley) are ranked ahead of Ivy League schools like Harvard and Yale.
The Wall Street Journal college rankings website uses its own methodology to calculate its national college rankings. This methodology uses similar data points to the others. Student outcomes, academic resources, engagement, and campus environment all play a role in their rankings. WSJ also sends out massive student surveys to gather data from students themselves about the quality of their experience.
University of Virginia Ranking vs. Virginia Tech Ranking
You might want to look at the University of Virginia ranking in comparison with its peer institutions. One of the best points of comparison to the UVA rankings are the Virginia Tech rankings. Both UVA and Virginia Tech are large public universities in the state of Virginia. This means they have a few things in common.
Let’s examine how Forbes, US News, and WSJ position their UVA rankings compared to Virginia Tech rankings.
While the US News college rankings place the UVA ranking at #25, the Virginia Tech ranking in US News is #62. In Forbes college rankings, the gulf is even wider, with the UVA ranking at #29 and the Virginia Tech ranking at #94. Wall Street Journal college rankings also has a large gulf between the UVA ranking and the Virginia Tech ranking. Their UVA ranking was the lowest of the three websites at #55. Their Virginia Tech ranking was also the lowest at #104.
University of Virginia Ranking Trends
The University of Virginia ranking is not a single number, but a collection of University of Virginia rankings combined together.
Each website’s University of Virginia rankings might also vary across different programs For example, US News assigns a separate University of Virginia ranking for engineering (#16) and public schools (#23). So, the UVA rankings will differ depending on where you look. Although Forbes does not have a University of Virginia ranking for engineering, they do list it as the #8 public school and the #5 school in the Southern United States.
So, when looking at the UVA rankings, don’t just pay attention to one number. Instead, try to think about a school’s strengths and weaknesses. This will show you whether the school is strong in the programs and categories that most matter to you.
University of Virginia Ranking and Your College List
Your preferences should inform how you interpret college rankings, including the University of Virginia ranking. College ranking websites like US News conduct rigorous surveys and use statistically sound methods to calculate their rankings. However, this data does not replace your own research. Campus visits, conversations with admissions officers, and firsthand experiences of campus life will teach you much more than the University of Virginia ranking.
In addition to the three primary college ranking websites, other sites like Niche and Unigo provide more review-centered University of Virginia ratings. These sites rely on data gathered from current students, parents, and other stakeholders as well as reviews. Then, they use this data to develop University of Virginia ratings. Some use a 1-5 system, while others assign colleges a letter grade based on how they are rated across multiple factors.
You should always use the University of Virginia ratings and UVA rankings alongside personal research. A school’s ranking only tells you how a group of other people has evaluated a school. However, you will be the one living and studying there for the next four years. Your list of colleges should reflect your personal goals and preferences. So, while a ranking is a helpful indicator of a school’s quality, it is far from the only factor you should consider. In addition to looking at UVA rankings, consider checking out our webinar or our online guide.
University of Virginia Ranking – Final Thoughts
When looking at the UVA rankings, or any college rankings, remember that these numbers do not tell the full story of a college. Though the methods used to create these rankings are reliable, they do not always reflect what might matter most to you as an individual student. Different websites rank the University of Virginia is highly. The school ranks even higher when compared to other large state universities, climbing as high as #23 among public schools in US News. However, make sure to investigate the rankings for the programs that interest you and ask questions throughout the research process.
This guide to the University of Virginia rankings was written by senior advisor, Alex Baggott-Rowe. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.
