44 Va. schools make U.S. News and World Report’s 2024 list

Forty-four Virginia schools ranked on the U.S. News and World Report’s 2024 best lists of more than 600 universities and liberal arts colleges in the country, released Monday.

The University of Virginia ranked No. 24 in national universities, tying with Carnegie Mellon and Emory universities and Washington University in St. Louis. U.Va. ranked No. 5 on the top public schools list, followed by Virginia Tech at No. 20. William & Mary ranked No. 23. George Mason ranked No. 51, while James Madison, Virginia Commonwealth University, Old Dominion University and Radford University rounded out the public schools with rankings of No. 64, 76, 151 and 162, respectively.

“The rankings are confirming what we here at Mason and Virginians have known for some time; based on our performance, George Mason University is one of America’s top 50 public universities,” Mason President Gregory Washington said in a statement. “Further, today’s rankings reflect the value and performance families are looking for from a college education, and Mason’s year-over-year enrollment increases and placement of our graduates confirm that we are now a destination for graduates from Virginia and beyond.”

Fifteen Virginia universities made the U.S. News and World Report 2024 list of the 439 best universities:

• No. 24 University of Virginia
• No. 47 Virginia Tech
• No. 53 William & Mary
• No. 105 George Mason University
• No. 124 James Madison University
• No. 142 Virginia Commonwealth University
• No. 280 Hampton University
• No. 280 Old Dominion University (tied with Hampton U.)
• N0 304 Radford University 
• N0 304 Shenandoah University (tied with Radford U.)
• No. 320 Marymount University
• No. 345 University of Lynchburg
• No. 360 Regent University
• No. 394-435 Liberty University 
• No. 394-435 Mary Baldwin University

Hampton University ranked No. 7 among Historically Black Colleges and Universities, a tie with North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Virginia State University ranked No. 16 on that list, tying with Bowie and Winston-Salem state universities; Norfolk State University ranked No. 22 on that list, tying with Fayetteville State University.

Of the 211 schools ranked this year, 15 Virginia liberal arts colleges made U.S. News and World Report’s 2024 list:

• No. 21 Washington and Lee University
• No. 25 University of Richmond
• No. 63 Virginia Military Institute
• No. 107 Randolph-Macon College
• No. 116 Hampden-Sydney College
• No. 124 Hollins University
• No. 130 Roanoke College
• No. 154 University of Mary Washington 
• No. 165 Randolph College
• No. 158 University of Virginia’s College at Wise (tied with Randolph College)
• No. 167 Bridgewater College
• No. 174 Virginia Wesleyan University
• No. 180 Sweet Briar College
• No. 185-204 Southern Virginia University
• No. 185-204 Virginia Union University