UVA in the Rankings

Here’s how Virginia stacked up in annual rankings of top colleges and universities compared with last year.

U.S. News & World Report

Criteria: Graduation and first-year student retention rates; assessment by administrators at peer institutions; faculty resources; student selectivity; financial resources; alumni giving; graduation rate performance; high school counselor ratings of colleges; range of majors and master’s and doctoral programs; commitment to producing groundbreaking research; and peer assessment surveys.

Public Schools

Dropped one spot behind University of California, Berkeley, and UCLA, which tied for No. 1. UVA drew praise for its 15:1 student-faculty ratio; 56 percent of its classes have fewer than 20 students.

Best Colleges for Veterans

Jumped seven spots. Established in 2013, the University of Virginia Military Veterans Community (known as UVA Mil Vets), is a key resource.

Undergraduate Business Programs

Dropped one spot. The University of Pennsylvania was No. 1. UVA’s programs in management, marketing and finance all ranked within the top 10.

National Universities

Down one spot from 2016. An average freshman retention rate of 97 percent was lauded.

Princeton Review

Criteria: Student surveys.

Colleges That Pay You Back Without Aid

Based on return-on-investment surveys collected from alumni that covered starting and midcareer salaries, as well as career social impact.

Best Alumni Network

Up one spot. Based on students’ ratings of alumni activity and visibility. Wabash College was No. 1.

Money Magazine

Criteria: Six-year graduation rate; estimated average student debt after graduation; loan repayment and default risk; and graduates’ earnings.

Best Colleges for Your Money

Average salary of graduates within five years is $58,000; average student debt is $17,867.

The Economist

Criteria: Salary of graduates; average GMAT scores; number of registered alumni; student and recent graduate surveys.

Global business school educational experience

Among the top 100 full-time international MBA programs, the Darden School of Business ranked first for the seventh straight year.