Longwood again climbs in U.S. News rankings, now No. 6 among public universities in the South

For the last decade, Longwood has consistently found its place among the best academic institutions offering undergraduate and master’s programs in the region. This year, Longwood climbed two spots to No. 6 among public universities in the South, and six spots to No. 15 among all regional universities in that category, both public and private. Longwood also stayed in the top-tier of universities on the annual list’s Best Value in the South list, climbing 17 spots over the past four years.

Longwood’s latest U.S. News ranking is the first time that the university has been the top-ranked public university in Virginia on its Best Value in the South list.

The rankings rise coincides with a continued investment in small classes taught by full-time professors, a course of action few public universities have taken. This year, Longwood welcomed 30 new full-time professors to the faculty, many of whom teach Civitae Core Curriculum classes, the foundational courses that all students take as they develop into citizen leaders.

More than two-thirds of Longwood classes have 20 or fewer students, the highest percentage of any Virginia public college or university. Longwood also has the highest percentage of classes taught by full-time tenure track faculty of Virginia’s public universities.

“Rankings can never paint a complete picture of a university, but what they can reveal are fundamental strengths that are the calling cards of strong institutions,” said President W. Taylor Reveley IV. “Over the last ten years at Longwood, we have invested in those strengths: small classes taught by full-time faculty, mentorship and support for students, renovated and new residence halls, and countless opportunities for personal and professional growth. Parents and students who visit campus see those investments, and they make a difference.”

The nursing program, which was named the Best BSN Program in the Southeast for 2022 by NursingProcess.org, moved up more than 100 spots on the nationwide U.S. News list, bolstered by its near-perfect pass rate on nursing licensure exams over the past seven years. Longwood’s psychology and undergraduate business programs are also highlighted on nationwide lists.

“I’m particularly proud of our upward trend on the Best Value rankings,” said Reveley. “A commitment to keeping higher education affordable animates our daily work, and we are proud to have among the very lowest average tuition increase among all Virginia public universities over the last ten years. That continues to be our commitment to students and their families.”