University News

Princeton Review ranks UVA No. 2 best value public university

The University of Virginia is once again being recognized as a top value in higher education.

In the Princeton Review’s 2025 list of Best Value Colleges, UVA secured the No. 2 spot for public universities – up one spot from last year – reflecting its outstanding return on educational investment through academic excellence, affordability and strong career outcomes for graduates.

UVA also topped the list for student health services, based on student ratings, highlighting the University’s dedication to student well-being.

The review also named UVA No. 4 for best public schools for financial aid and No. 8 for best value public schools for students not qualifying for financial aid. UVA also earned top 10 rankings in career placement (No. 5) and alumni networks (No. 9).

“We’re grateful that we’re again being recognized as one of the best values in public higher education,” said Steve Farmer, UVA’s vice provost for enrollment. “Our reputation for excellence and affordability, like our strength in career placement, financial aid and alumni networks, is a tribute to our students, faculty and staff, the achievements and generosity of our graduates, and the deep devotion that UVA continues to inspire.”

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Best Value Public University

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Best Public School for Financial Aid

Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of the Princeton Review, praised the schools on this year’s Best Value Colleges list for striking the right balance between quality and affordability

“The schools on our ‘Best Value Colleges’ lists this year … offer outstanding academics and excellent career services,” he said. “They also demonstrate extraordinary commitments to affordability via generous financial aid and/or comparatively low sticker prices. We commend them for all that they do to help students afford to attend them, and we recommend them highly to college applicants.”

To create its 2025 Best Value Colleges list, the Princeton Review analyzed data from more than 650 colleges on academics, costs, financial aid, graduation rates and career services. It also used student surveys and alumni salary data from PayScale.com.

Tuition Covered For Virginia Households Making <$100K

Each school’s return on investment score – based upon more than 40 data points – was the main factor in determining the Best Value Colleges. Georgia Institute of Technology ranked No. 1 among public schools, and Princeton University topped the private list.

Frank also pointed to results from the company’s College Hopes & Worries 2025 Survey, which sheds light on how families view the college decision process.

“Among the nearly 10,000 college applicants and their parents we surveyed, 99% said ‘Yes’ to our question ‘Do you think college is ‘worth it’?’” he said. “However, their concerns about college affordability loom large,” he added, noting that “98% of our survey respondents said financial aid would be necessary to pay for college, and of that cohort, 77% gauged their level of need as ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ necessary.”

UVA commits to meet 100% of students’ financial need through scholarships, grants, work-study opportunities and loans.