Top Universities in Virginia

Virginia has one of the strongest higher education systems in the US — anchored by UVA and William & Mary (the second-oldest university in the US), with Virginia Tech, George Mason, and an exceptional set of private institutions.

University of Virginia (Charlottesville)
Thomas Jefferson's university — Jefferson designed the Academical Village (the Rotunda, the Lawn, the Ranges) in 1817 as an "academical village" where students and professors would live and learn together. The Rotunda (modeled on the Pantheon), the Lawn colonnades, and the serpentine walls are among the finest pieces of Neoclassical architecture in the US. UVA is consistently ranked #1 or #2 among public universities nationally. Particularly strong in law (the Virginia Law school is consistently top 10), business (McIntire School of Commerce), medicine (UVA Health), and the humanities.

William & Mary (Williamsburg)
The second-oldest university in the US (chartered 1693, royal charter from King William III and Queen Mary II) — William & Mary's Wren Building (1695) is the oldest academic building still in use in the US. The university is a public institution known for small class sizes, strong liberal arts, and a distinctive honor tradition. The Marshall-Wythe School of Law is Virginia's oldest law school.

Virginia Tech (Blacksburg)
Virginia's land-grant research university — Virginia Tech is nationally prominent in engineering (consistently top-10 in multiple engineering disciplines), architecture, agriculture, and computer science. The Corps of Cadets (the third-largest uniformed student body in the US) and the strong ROTC tradition give VT a distinct character. The Blacksburg campus setting in the New River Valley is beautiful.

George Mason University (Fairfax)
Northern Virginia's public research university — Mason has grown explosively in the past 30 years. The law school (Antonin Scalia Law School — formerly known for its law and economics program) and the economics department (two Nobel laureates: James Buchanan and Vernon Smith) give Mason a distinctive academic identity. The proximity to the federal government and defense contracting industry makes Mason a pipeline for federal employment.