CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The University of Virginia ranks 2nd in the state, 8th among public colleges and universities in the nation, and 50th overall in new 2026 WalletHub Best Colleges and Universities in America.

A WalletHub release says “to help college-bound seniors make the most informed school choices, WalletHub compared nearly 800 higher-education institutions in the U.S. based on 30 key measures grouped into seven categories, such as Student Selectivity, Cost & Financing and Career Outcomes. The data set ranges from student-faculty ratio to graduation rate to post-attendance median salary.”

In Virginia, Washington & Lee tops the list ahead of UVA, then the University of Richmond. UVA and W&L score similarly on most categories, but the Lexington private school separates with a better student/faculty ratio and less on-campus crime. UVa scores better than the other two on gender and racial diversity.

On a nationwide scale, the University of Florida tops WalletHub’s public institution list at 23rd overall. UC San Diego is 2nd in publics and 31st overall, UCLA is 3rd and 32nd, Cal-Berkeley 4th and 34th, UC Irvine 5th and 38th, University of Michigan 6th and 46th, UNC 7th and 47th, and UVA 8th and 50th.

Princeton, Harvard, and Yale are top three overall.