UVA tops Princeton Review’s financial aid rankings among public colleges

The Princeton Review has ranked the University of Virginia the No. 1 public school for financial aid in the country, moving to the top spot from No. 4 last year

Looking at academics, affordability and career prospects for graduates, the educational services company also named UVA the No. 2 value of all public colleges, among more than 460 surveyed schools

The review also ranked UVA highly in four other categories: 

• Best Value Colleges Without Aid (Public Schools): No. 4
• Best Career Placement (Public Schools): No. 4
• Best Schools for Making a Public Impact (Public Schools): No. 8
• Best Alumni Networks (Public Schools): No. 9

In the “making a public impact” category, The Princeton Review based its ranking on student survey responses to questions about community service opportunities, student government, sustainability efforts and on-campus student engagement. 

The Princeton Review says its 2027 Best Value rankings draw on more than 40 data points from institutional and student surveys, as well as federal career and salary data. 

“We highly recommend the schools on our Best Value Colleges list for 2027,” Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review, said. “In our opinion, they are truly the most exceptional in the nation at delivering outstanding academics, affordable cost and great career foundations

“We salute them for all they do to help students with need afford to attend them rous financial aid – all while providing an amazing college experience that’s worth every penny.” 

The Princeton Review’s best value college rankings are designated as the 2027 edition because they were released in the second half of the calendar year. By contrast, the last ranking, published in June 2025, was the 2025 edition. 

“This naming convention is standard for annual publishing projects and is based on the timing of the release,” the organization wrote. “As a result, there is no 2026 edition, even though we did not skip a calendar year.”

Media Contacts

Jane Kelly

University News Senior AssociateOffice of University Communications

jak4g@virginia.edu(434) 243-9935

Source: news.virginia.edu