Here Are The Best Colleges In Virginia, According To Niche

University of Virginia is the best college in Virginia, according to rankings released Monday by Niche, a college ranking and review platform. In all, 20 colleges in Virginia were ranked among the best.

More than 4,000 U.S. colleges and universities were ranked in the 2026 Best Colleges in America.

The top five colleges in Virginia are:

1. University of Virginia
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 17 percent
Net price: $17,831
SAT range: 1410-1530

2. Washington and Lee University
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 17 percent
Net price: $24,667
SAT range: 1410-1530

3. Virginia Tech
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 17 percent
Net price: $17,831
SAT range: 1240-1420

4. William & Mary
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 33 percent
Net price: $20,422
SAT range: 1370-1510

5. University of Richmond
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 23 percent
Net price: $35,263
SAT range: 1410-1530

Other Virginia schools and their rankings are found on the Niche website here.

Niche also ranked the best colleges for athletics, student life, dorm life and other aspects of college life that are important to students.

2026 Best Colleges in America

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
2. Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
3. Stanford University, Stanford, California
4. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
5. Dartmouth University, Hanover, New Hampshire

2026 Colleges with the Best Student Life in America

1. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
2. University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
3. University of California, Los Angeles
4. 4. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
5. Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

2026 Best College Athletics in America

1. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
2. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
3. The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
4. University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
5. 5. Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina

“We built Niche to help students and families cut through the noise and make informed choices,” Niche founder and CEO Luke Skurman said in a news release. “Our rankings are designed to reflect not just data, but the real voices and lived experiences of students across the country. That blend of insight is what makes Niche unique. We’re giving students the clarity to identify the colleges where they see themselves belonging and succeeding.”

Niche’s rankings are based on data from the U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation; enrollment, graduation, and alumni earnings statistics; and more than 1 million college reviews from students and alumni. More about the methodology is found on the website.

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