The University of Virginia has regained its No. 1 ranking among public universities, according to the 2004 U.S. News & World Report. Since U.S. News began ranking public schools in 1998, U.Va. has never been lower than No. 2, and this is the fourth time in seven years it has claimed the No. 1 spot. In its 2004 edition of “America’s Best Colleges,” U.S. News also ranked U.Va. as No. 21 in its Top National Universities category, which includes public and private institutions. In both rankings, U.Va. tied with the University of California-Berkeley. In the 17-year history of the rankings, U.Va. has never dropped out of the top 25 listing (see charts below).

U.S. News & World Report places some of the University's undergraduate schools, graduate schools and programs, and hospital specialties among the nation's best (see charts below). In 1995, the prestigious National Research Council, which evaluates 274 institutions once every ten years, placed U.Va.'s graduate programs high on the list (see chart below). The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2002 named U.Va. one of forty-three "best buys." Money magazine has also called the University a best buy. In its October 2002 issue, Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine ranked the University of Virginia as #2 on its list of 100 Best Values in Public Colleges.  In 2002, the University Medical Center was named one of the nation's Top 100 Hospitals for the fourth consecutive year (details below).

U.S. News & World Report Rankings
2004 America's Best Colleges Issue

August 2003 -- U.S. News & World Report's latest college rankings placed the University of Virginia as the nation's #1 public university (tied with University of California-Berkeley) and 21st among all (248) national universities. U.Va. has the highest graduation and retention rate of any public college or university and is tied for 12th overall. Rankings.

In the magazine’s listing of “schools that offer the best value,” U.Va. is the top-ranked public university and 13th overall. In calculating best values, U.S. News uses a formula that relates a school's academic quality to the net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of financial aid. According to U.S. News, the higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal.

Last year, U.S. News introduced a category called Outstanding First-Year Experience, and for the second time U.Va. was among the schools cited as among the best in the country.

University of Virginia's College at Wise
The 2004 U.S. News & World report ranked the University of Virginia's College at Wise eighth among the nation's top liberal arts colleges, up from ninth last year.

Archived site for 2002.

Hospital Specialties
These medical specialties were ranked by U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Hospitals," published July 2003.

National Research Council Rankings
In 1995, the prestigious National Research Council, which evaluates 274 institutions once every ten years, placed U.Va.'s graduate programs high on the list.

TOP 10

4th	English Department
5th	Spanish and Portuguese
6th	Religious Studies Department
8th	German Department
9th	Physiology Department

TOP 20

13th	French Department
16th	Art History
17th	Astronomy Department
18th	Classics
19th	History Department
19th	Psychology Department

Top Hospitals

Sept. 2003 -- The University's Medical Center was named one of the nation's Top 100 Hospitals for the fifth year in a row, according to a study of 5,600 hospitals by Solucient, formerly HCIA-Sachs Institute. The winning hospitals were recognized for quality of care, financial performance, operational efficiency and adaptation to the external environment. More.

Wall Street Journal
In 2002, the Wall Street Journal ranked the University's Darden School of Graduate Business Administration 20th in the country and 10th among public universities.

Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine
In its October 2002 issue, Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine ranked the University of Virginia as #2 on its list of 100 Best Values in Public Colleges.  Kiplinger's rankings were based on a combination of quality, cost, and financial aid measures, with quality accounting for two-thirds of the rating. More.

National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education Ranks States
In its "Measuring Up 2002" report, the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education ranked the Commonwealth of Virginia fifth in the nation and first in the South in higher education opportunity and participation. The independent think tank ranks states in five categories: preparation of high school students for higher education, affordability of colleges and universities, college enrollment rates, degree completion rates, and benefits that accrue to the state from higher education. Virginia's grades also improved from the 2000 report.