Top Stories
George Mason University leads Virginia with strong U.S. News online program rankings
George Mason ranks #1 in Virginia for best value, internships, and upward mobility
Jump directly to specific rankings:
Academic Ranking of World Universities | College Factual | EduRank | Forbes | Foundation for Independent Rights and Expression | Money | National Science Foundation | New York Times | Times Higher Ed. | The Princeton Review| US News and World Report | Washington Business Journal | Washington Monthly | WSJ/College Pulse
Wall Street Journal/College Pulse
Updated September 30, 2025
| Category | Among Publics | Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 32 | 71 |
| Best Salaries | 12 (Best in VA and the DMV) | 42 |
| Best Value | 68 | 95 |
| Social Mobility | 54 (Best in VA) | 73 |
Check out the full ranking of best colleges >>
U.S. News and World Report
Updated September 23, 2025
| Category | Among Publics | Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | 57 | 117 |
| Best Value | 63 | 156 |
| Social Mobility | 64 | 110 |
| Best College for Veterans | 57 | 78 |
| Undergraduate Programs | Among Publics | Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Business | 55 | 88 |
| Computer Science | 50 | 78 |
| Economics | 44 | 99 |
| Engineering | 61 | 96 |
| Nursing | 76 | 98 (Tied with JMU) |
| Psychology | 59 | 113 |
Check out George Mason's best college and undergraduate program rankings >>
| Graduate Programs | Among Publics | Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Sciences (*2022) | 68 | 119 (Tied w/ Virginia Tech) |
| Biomedical Engineering/Bioengineering | 54 | 92 |
| Business/Corporate Law | 19 | 41 |
| Civil Engineering | 51 | 73 |
| Clinical Psychology | 76 | 103 |
| Clinical Training | 81 | 169 |
| Computer Engineering | 42 | 71 |
| Computer Science | 35 | 64 |
| Constitutional Law | 20 | 41 |
| Contracts/Commercial Law | 14 | 30 |
| Criminal Law | 45 | 90 |
| Criminology (*2021) | 10 (Best in VA) | 10 (Best in VA) |
| Dispute Resolution | 54 | 119 |
| Doctor of Nursing Practice | 6 (Best in VA) | 10 (Best in VA) |
| Earth Sciences (*2023) | 92 | 124 |
| Economics | 48 | 81 |
| Education | 77 | 90 |
| Electrical Engineering | 55 | 90 |
| Engineering (Overall) | 52 | 85 |
| English | 54 | 103 |
| Environmental Law | 52 | 102 |
| Fine Arts (*2020) | 42 | 73 |
| Healthcare Law | 56 | 122 |
| Healthcare Management | 16 | 33 |
| History | 36 | 69 |
| Homeland Security | 4 (Best in VA) | 4 (Best in VA) |
| Intellectual Property Law | 9 | 26 |
| International Law | 40 | 82 |
| Law (Overall) | 12 | 31 |
| Mathematics (*2023) | 55 | 91 |
| Most Grads in Federal Clerkships | 5 | 11 |
| Nonprofit Management | 10 | 13 |
| Nursing Masters | 9 (Best in VA) | 16 (Best in VA) |
| Part-Time Law | 4 | 9 |
| Part-Time MBA | 48 | 80 |
| Physics (*2023) | 72 | 113 |
| Political Science | 48 (Best in VA) | 81 (Best in VA) |
| Public Affairs (Overall) | 24 (Best in VA) | 36 (Best in VA) |
| Public Health | 40 | 68 |
| Public Management/Leadership | 25 | 33 |
| Public Policy Analysis | 17 | 31 |
| Psychology | 63 | 107 |
| Social Work (*2024) | 45 | 67 |
| Sociology | 53 | 83 |
| Statistics (*2023) | 39 | 54 |
| Systems Engineering | 27 | 37 |
| Tax Law | 46 | 90 |
| Trial Advocacy | 38 | 96 |
Check out all of George Mason's graduate programs rankings >>
| Online Masters Programs | Among Publics | Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Business (Non-MBA) | 39 | 56 |
| Business (MBA) | 41 (Best in VA) | 55 (Best in VA) |
| MBA for Veterans | 30 (Best in VA) | 34 (Best in VA) |
| Education | 37 | 38 |
| Education (Special Education) | 6 (Best in VA and the DMV) | 5 (Best in VA and the DMV) |
| Education for Veterans | 16 | 16 |
| Engineering | 38 | 45 |
| Engineering for Veterans | 24 | 39 |
| Industrial Engineering | 7 (Best in VA) | 10 (Best in VA) |
| Information Technology | 27 | 39 |
| Information Technology for Veterans | 13 | 21 |
| Nursing | 34 | 41 |
| Nursing for Veterans | 9 (Best in VA) | 14 (Best in VA) |
Check out all of George Mason’s online master’s programs rankings >>
Foundation for Independent Rights and Expression (FIRE)
Updated September 9, 2025
| Category | Among Publics | Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Student Free Speech and Open Inquiry | 21 | 26 |
Check out the 2026 free speech rankings >>
Washington Business Journal
Updated October 3, 2025
| Category | Among Publics | Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | 2 (Best in VA) | 2 (Best in VA) |
Check out WBJ's largest universities rankings >>
Washington Monthly
Updated August 26, 2025
| Category | Among Publics | Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars | 96 | 166 |
| Access (Overall) | 58 | 79 |
| Research (Overall) | 67 | 97 |
| Best Bang for the Buck: Southeast | 12 (Best in VA) | 16 (Best in VA) |
| Access: Southeast | 9 | 16 |
Check out the 2025 College Guide and Rankings >>
Forbes
Updated August 26, 2025
| Category | Among Publics | Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Best Colleges | 47 | 114 |
Check out America's top colleges >>
Money
Updated June 25, 2025
| Category | Overall |
|---|---|
| Awarded one of America's Best Colleges | 4.5/5 Stars |
Check out the 2025 best colleges in America >>
EduRank
Updated March 2, 2025
| Category | Among Publics | Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | 64 | 96 |
| Architecture | 21 | 31 |
| Art History | 15 | 28 |
| Artificial Intelligence (AI) | 39 | 64 |
| Aviation | 9 (Best in VA and the DMV) | 12 (Best in VA and the DMV) |
| Broadcast Journalism | 46 (Best in VA) | 63 (Best in VA) |
| Cinematography | 27 (Best in VA and the DMV) | 40 (Best in VA and the DMV) |
| Communications and Public Relations | 33 | 49 |
| Criminology and Criminal Justice | 18 (Best in VA) | 26 (Best in VA) |
| Computer Engineering | 40 | 60 |
| Computer Networking | 34 | 55 |
| Cyber Security | 20 (Best in VA) | 34 (Best in VA) |
| Database Administration | 18 (Best in VA) | 31 (Best in VA) |
| Data Science | 33 | 52 |
| Early Childhood Education | 18 | 19 |
| Education Majors | 39 | 55 |
| Entrepreneurship | 1 (Best in VA and the DMV) | 2 (Best in VA and the DMV) |
| Graphic Design | 34 | 44 |
| Hospitality and Hotel Management | 37 | 41 |
| Human Resource Management | 21 | 33 |
| Human Rights Law | 12 (Best in VA) | 31 (Best in VA) |
| Information Technology | 34 | 48 |
| Intellectual Property and Patent Law | 5 (Best in VA) | 17 (Best in VA) |
| International Business | 28 | 49 |
| International Law | 13 | 31 |
| International Relations and Diplomacy | 27 | 46 |
| International Trade | 24 | 43 |
| Law Enforcement | 5 (Best in VA and the DMV) | 11 (Best in VA and the DMV) |
| Military Science | 30 (Best in VA) | 46 (Best in VA) |
| Negotiation and Conflict Resolution | 9 (Best in VA) | 22 (Best in VA) |
| Political Economy | 11 (Best in VA) | 25 (Best in VA) |
| Public Policy/Administration | 18 (Best in VA) | 32 (Best in VA) |
| Radio and TV Broadcasting | 44 (Best in VA) | 62 (Best in VA) |
| Remote Sensing | 30 | 40 |
| Robotics | 43 | 71 |
| Software Engineering | 12 | 17 |
| Special Education | 25 | 31 |
| Urban and Regional Planning | 23 | 34 |
| UX/UI Design | 15 | 20 |
| Web Design and Development | 13 (Best in VA) | 19 (Best in VA) |
Check out the full of George Mason's rankings from EduRank >>
Times Higher Education
Updated October 9, 2025
| Category | Among Publics | Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 47 | 84 |
| Arts and Humanities | 46 | 78 |
| Business and Economics | 44 | 69 (Tied with American) |
| Computer Science | 49 | 76 (Tied with William & Mary) |
| Education | 57 | 77 (Tied with VCU) |
| Engineering | 61 | 80 |
| Law | 8 | 20 |
| Life Sciences | 67 | 89 |
| Medical and Health | 44 | 62 (Tied with Virginia Tech) |
| Physical Sciences | 74 | 97 |
| Psychology | 33 | 64 (Tied with VCU) |
| Social Sciences | 28 | 58 (Tied with UVA) |
Check out the Times Higher Education world university rankings >>
The Princeton Review
Updated October 25, 2025
| Category | Nationally |
|---|---|
| Overall | Best Mid-Atlantic |
| Overall | Best 391 Colleges |
| Overall | Best Green Colleges |
Academic Rankings of World Universities
Updated August 15, 2025
| Category | Among Publics | Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Atmospheric Science | 15 (Best in VA) | 24 (Best in VA) |
| Biological Sciences | 78 | 118 |
| Business Administration | 53 | 80 |
| Clinical Medicine | 87 | 108 |
| Communication | 50 (Best in VA) | 66 (Best in VA) |
| Computer Science and Engineering | 56 | 84 |
| Earth Sciences | 67 | 85 |
| Ecology | 63 | 81 |
| Economics | 13 (Best in VA) | 32 (Best in VA) |
| Education | 21 | 53 |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering | 29 | 48 |
| Environmental Science and Engineering | 29 | 43 |
| Geography | 44 | 60 |
| Law | 6 (Best in VA) | 18 (Best in VA) |
| Library and Information Science | 27 | 36 |
| Management | 30 | 45 |
| Mathematics | 53 | 82 |
| Political Sciences | 41 | 74 |
| Psychology | 46 | 73 |
| Public Administration | 22 (Best in VA) | 29 (Best in VA) |
| Telecommunication Engineering | 33 | 47 |
Check out the 2025 world universities ranking >>
College Factual*
Updated October 24, 2024
| Category | Among Publics | Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree Colleges | 36 | 92 |
| Top Colleges for Veterans in the U.S. (*2021) | 1 (Best in VA and the DMV) | 1 (Best in VA and the DMV) |
| Accounting Bachelor's Degrees | 11 (Best in VA) | 24 (Best in VA) |
| Biology (General) Bachelor's Degrees | 33 | 48 |
| Business/Commerce (General) Bachelor's Degrees | 3 (Best in VA and the DMV) | 11 (Best in VA and the DMV) |
| Computer and Information Sciences Bachelor's Degrees | 14 | 37 |
| Computer Information Systems Bachelor's Degrees | 8 | 17 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections Bachelor's Degrees | 1 (Best in VA and the DMV) | 2 (Best in VA and the DMV) |
| Geography and Cartography Bachelor's Degrees | 24 | 31 |
| Homeland Security Bachelor's Degrees | 1 (Best in VA and the DMV) | 1 (Best in VA and the DMV) |
| Hospitality Management Bachelor's Degrees | 36 | 44 |
| International Relations and National Security Bachelor's Degrees | 4 | 23 |
| Liberal Arts/Sciences and Humanities Bachelor's Degrees | 5 (Best in VA) | 13 (Best in VA) |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Bachelor's Degrees | 17 (Best in VA) | 33 (Best in VA) |
| Other Health Professions Bachelor's Degrees | 10 | 17 |
| Psychology (General) Bachelor's Degrees | 21 | 32 |
| Public Administration Bachelor's Degrees | 4 (Best in VA and the DMV) | 5 (Best in VA and the DMV) |
| Public Health Bachelor's Degrees | 26 | 32 |
| Security Science and Technology Bachelor's Degrees | 2 (Best in VA and the DMV) | 2 (Best in VA and the DMV) |
| Social Work Bachelor's Degrees | 32 | 36 |
| Special Education Bachelor's Degrees | 14 (Best in VA) | 18 (Best in VA) |
| Visual and Performing Arts (General) Bachelor's Degrees | 5 (Best in VA and the DMV) | 7 (Best in VA and the DMV) |
| Writing Studies Best Schools | 8 (Best in VA) | 12 (Best in VA) |
| Writing Studies Bachelor's Degrees | 6 (Best in VA) | 7 (Best in VA) |
| Writing Studies Master's Degrees | 5 (Best in VA) | 10 (Best in VA) |
Check out George Mason's full rankings from College Factual >>
The New York Times*
Updated September 8, 2023
| Category | Among Publics | Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Diversity | 19 (Best in VA and the DMV) | 56 (Best in VA and the DMV) |
Check out the NYT's top U.S. colleges with the greatest economic diversity >>
National Science Foundation*
Updated November 30, 2023
| Category | Among Publics | Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Total Research Funding | 77 | 117 |
| Federally Funded Research | 75 | 121 |
| Computer and Information Sciences: Total Research Funding | 27 | 43 |
| Computer and Information Sciences: Federally Funded Research | 20 | 32 |
| Engineering: Total Research Funding | 56 | 79 |
| Engineering: Federally Funded Research | 37 | 57 |
| Geosciences, Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences: Total Research Funding | 44 | 54 |
| Geosciences, Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences: Federally Funded Research | 31 | 40 |
| Mathematics: Total Research Funding | 65 | 89 |
| Mathematics: Federally Funded Research | 44 | 65 |
| Non-Medical Schools: Total Research Funding | 60 | 86 |
| Non-Science and Engineering: Total Research Funding | 56 | 79 |
| Non-Science and Engineering: Federally Funded Research | 67 | 101 |
| Psychology: Total Research Funding | 76 | 109 |
| Psychology: Federally Funded Research | 60 | 91 |
| Social Sciences: Total Research Funding | 7 (Best in VA and the DMV) | 10 (Best in VA and the DMV) |
| Social Sciences: Federally Funded Research | 19 (Best in VA) | 24 (Best in VA) |
Check out the NSF research funding rankings >>
* Based on last released rankings data
George Mason highlighted as one of Carnegie’s Opportunity Colleges and Universities
Carnegie said universities earning this distinction “are higher access, higher earnings institutions that can serve as a model for fostering student success,” according to information from the foundation.
Read more about this recognition
George Mason plays a vital role in advancing Virginia as America’s top state in business
CNBC has named Virginia America’s Top State for Business in 2024, and the No. 1 state for education, dual distinctions that highlight George Mason University’s impact as the largest and most innovative public university in Virginia and a top 50 public university nationally.
Read more about George Mason's role
Read More About George Mason's Highly Ranked Programs
- October 17, 2025
- September 23, 2025
- April 24, 2025
- April 8, 2025
- January 21, 2025