Best Colleges in Virginia – 2024

Academic Highlights: Undergrads can study within one of eight colleges/schools, which all offer many small classes; 14% boast single-digit enrollment and 48% contain 19 or fewer students. Undergraduate research opportunities can be challenging to uncover at any large school where graduate students get the prime spots, yet, UVA does offer a multitude of formal opportunities as well as the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium and three undergraduate research journals. The classroom at UVA extends well beyond Charlottesville as one-fifth enjoy a semester abroad through one of fifty programs around the world.

Professional Outcomes: Upon receiving their degree, 86% of the Class of 2023 immediately joined the workforce–with an average starting salary of $82k–or headed directly to graduate school.  Capital One (58), Amazon (45), Deloitte (41), and Accenture (34) scooped up the greatest number of 2023 grads. UVA itself was the most popular grad school destination followed by Columbia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Duke.

Academic Highlights: The university offers 37 majors and 29 minors. With an exceptionally low 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio and no graduate students to attend to, W&L undergraduates enjoy loads of attention. Over 83% of class sections contain 19 or fewer students, Instructors earn rave reviews as 98% of recent grads were either “very satisfied” or “satisfied” by the quality of their professors. Students can participate in research via a number of programs, including the Summer Research Scholars Program, which allows undergrads to collaborate with faculty in the field or lab. Studying abroad is common, with 60% of grads spending a semester or summer in a foreign land.

Professional Outcomes: Last year, 69% of recent graduates found employment within six months of leaving Lexington. Companies presently employing more than two dozen Generals including Wells Fargo, EY, Williams Investment Society, PwC, Deloitte, Capital One, Bank of America, and JP Morgan. Starting salaries are solid with the majority of the cohort being paid $55,000 or more while 18% brought home in excess of $75,000.

Academic Highlights: There are over sixty undergraduate majors at UR. The student- to-faculty ratio is 7:1, the average class size is sixteen students. Thirty-five percent of Richmond students participate in an intensive research experience with a faculty member prior to graduation, and students can have those summer opportunities funded through the Richmond Guarantee, which sees the university fund research apprenticeships as well as internships. Nearly 500 students receive such funding every summer. Going abroad is the norm at UR—65% take a semester or full year of study in one of seventy-five programs in 60 countries.

Professional Outcomes: One year after graduation, 92% of Richmond grads who were seeking employment had found jobs, with an average salary range of $60,000-$64,999. Companies where you can find at least 50 Richmond alumni employed include Capital One, Deloitte, PwC, EY, Amazon, Google, and Morgan Stanley.  20% of recent alumni chose to enroll directly in a graduate or professional degree program. Large pockets of alumni can be found in New York City, DC, Philadelphia, and Boston.

Academic Highlights: Over forty undergraduate programs are available and William & Mary has a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Class sizes are rarely tiny seminars, but 44% do enroll fewer than twenty students, and only 10% contain more than fifty. An extremely high percentage of undergrads study abroad for a semester; by graduation, roughly half of the class has done so, traveling to one of more than 60 countries. Undergraduate research opportunities are widely available.

Professional Outcomes: 53% of recent grads joined the workforce, and 35% entered graduate school within six months of graduation. Over 500 employers snatched up at least one member of the Tribe. Companies hiring at least four recent grads included Accenture, Booz Allen Hamilton, KPMG, and Deloitte. Many of those opting for immediate entry into graduate school stayed at their alma mater, with other alums attending Columbia, Duke, Emory, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Chicago.

Academic Highlights: Eight undergraduate colleges that offer 150+ distinct majors are housed within Virginia Tech. 34% of sections contain fewer than 20 students, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 13:1. Overall, 19% of recent graduates report participating in some type of undergraduate research experience, but landing such opportunities is much easier for members of the Honors College. Each year, more than 1,200 students avail themselves of the chance to study abroad in locations such as Switzerland, New Zealand, France, and Scotland.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 37% of the Class of 2023 were employed and 14% were in graduate school. Graduates work at major corporations including Deloitte, EY, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Kimley-Horn, Northrop Grumman, and Accenture. The median salary for 2023 graduates was $70,000. Among recent grads who decided to pursue an advanced degree, the greatest number stayed at VT, while others enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University, George Mason University, George Washington University, UVA, UNC Chapel Hill, and Johns Hopkins.

Academic Highlights: JMU offers 75+ undergraduate degrees to a very happy student population; surveyed undergrads report a stunning 96% satisfaction rate. A 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio does not fully capture how generally modest class sizes tend to be at the university. Thirty-six percent of sections enroll fewer than 19 students and the average class size is 25 students. JMU has also been a leader in study abroad participation, with some of the highest numbers of participants of any college in the country. In fact, it presently ranks first among all master’s-granting institutions with almost 1,500 participants annually.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 75% of 2023 grads had obtained full-time employment, 21% were continuing their education, and 4% were still figuring out their next step. KPMG and Deloitte each hired at least 17 JMU grads. Dukes found employment at 1,481 organizations around the world and the average starting salary was $59,686. Among the almost one-quarter of recent grads who matriculated directly into a graduate school program, the most popular location was JMU itself.

Academic Highlights: The University of Mary Washington offers students a robust liberal arts education through 51 majors and 48 minors, all supported by an excellent 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio. This personalized learning environment shines in the classroom—58% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students—while fostering strong undergraduate research opportunities and hands-on learning experiences. The university attracts a geographically diverse student body from 33 states and 15 countries, creating dynamic academic exchanges on campus.

Professional Outcomes: Mary Washington graduates achieve strong career outcomes, with 66% employed and 20% pursuing advanced degrees shortly after graduation. Alumni contribute to prominent organizations, including Northrop Grumman, KPMG, and The Walt Disney Company. Most alumni build their careers in the Washington DC-Baltimore corridor, with median earnings of $61,000 after ten years, demonstrating the lasting value of UMW’s blend of liberal arts foundation and professional preparation.

Academic Highlights: Mason aims to make every one of its graduates an “engaged citizen and well-rounded scholar who is prepared to act.” Toward that goal, it requires a journey through the “Mason Core,” a forty-three-credit collection of foundation, exploration, and integration requirements. Thirty-two percent of sections enroll nineteen or fewer students, 14% have fifty or more students, and the remaining sections lie in between. More intimate educational experiences can be sought in the form of undergraduate research, which roughly half of all students ultimately engage in some form. There are plenty of summer research opportunities, but you can also take courses designated as Discovery of Scholarship, Scholarly Inquiry, or Research & Scholarship Intensive that offer built-in supervised research.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after receiving their degrees, 87% of the class of 2023 had accepted a job offer or started work in a graduate program. GMU grads flow into major consulting firms like Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte, and Accenture, as well as Capital One, Goldman Sachs, General Dynamics, IBM, and Microsoft. Mason graduates earn a median salary of $74,000, with 83% of grads employed in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC.

Academic Highlights: Virginia Commonwealth University combines the resources of a major public research institution (200+ academic programs) with surprising accessibility, maintaining a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio that allows 35% of classes to cap at just 19 students. This balance of scale and personal attention serves a remarkably diverse community representing 46 states and 138 countries, creating dynamic learning environments where global perspectives thrive.

Professional Outcomes: VCU graduates find strong career success, with 41% securing employment and 22% entering graduate programs immediately after commencement. An impressive 87% express satisfaction with their outcomes, and 78% choose to build their careers within Virginia—including 34% in Richmond itself. The university serves as a vital talent pipeline for the state’s leading institutions, with alumni making significant contributions to VCU Health, Capital One, Sentara Health, and Dominion Energy, earning median salaries of $50,000. These outcomes demonstrate VCU’s dual impact as both an economic engine for Virginia and a launchpad for professional achievement.