Rankings & Distinctions

How does Randolph College measure up?

2025-2026 National Rankings and Recognitions: 

• 2025-26 College of Distinction

2024-2025 National Rankings and Recognitions: 

• Best Colleges in America, 2024-2025
• Virginia Living Magazine Top Schools & Universities 2025
• 2024-2024 College of Distinction
• 2025 Fiske Guide to Colleges 
• Best 390 Colleges, The Princeton Review
• Guide to Green Colleges: 2025 Edition
• 2024 Best Psychology Degree Programs Ranking in Virginia
• USA Today Best cities to move to in the South: Lynchburg 

2023-2024 National Rankings and Recognitions: 

• 2023-2024 College of Distinction
• Randolph named one of the Fiske Guide’s “best and most interesting institutions” 
• Randolph faculty recognized as among best in the nation by The Princeton Review
• Randolph named one of Virginia’s Best Colleges (Intelligent.com)
• #10 Best Colleges in Virginia (Degree Choices Rankings)
• 10 Most Beautiful College Campuses in Virginia (The Travel)

2022-2023 National Rankings and Recognitions: 

• Randolph professors ranked 12th in the nation for accessibility
• Student Center ranked among nation’s best
• Virginia Living magazine names Randolph one of its Top Schools & Universities
• Virginia’s Best Colleges (Intelligent.com)
• The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2023 Edition recognizes Randolph 
• U.S. News & World Report names Randolph among nation’s best liberal arts colleges 
• Randolph featured in 2023 Fiske Guide to Colleges
• Best Bachelor’s Degrees in Virginia (University HQ)
• Best Master’s Degrees in Virginia (University HQ) 

2021-22 National Rankings and Recognitions: 

• Randolph recognized for innovative curriculum
• Randolph included in prestigious Fiske Guide to Colleges 2022
• #10 “Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Virginia,” #14 “Best Sports Science Schools in Virginia,” #17 “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools in Virginia,” #18 “Best Engineering Schools in Virginia,” and more (PLEXUSS Global Rankings) 
• Randolph faculty recognized as among best in the nation by The Princeton Review
• U.S. News & World Report names Randolph one of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges

2020-21 National Rankings and Recognitions: 

• Randolph named a top school by Virginia Living Magazine
• Randolph ranked 16th in nation for ‘most accessible professors’
• Innovative curriculum recognized on best colleges list
• Fiske Guide to Colleges names Randolph one of the nation’s “Best and Most Interesting” institutions
• Randolph named one of the nation’s top green colleges
• #9 “Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Virginia,” #14 “Best Environmental Studies Schools in Virginia,” and #16 “Best Education Schools in Virginia” (PLEXUSS Global Rankings)
• Randolph earns Tree Campus USA designation from Arbor Day Foundation
• Great Value Colleges names Randolph among ‘30 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in the South’
• U.S. News & World Report names Randolph one of the nation’s Top Liberal Arts Colleges 

2019-20 National Rankings and Recognitions:

• U.S. News & World Report ranks Randolph as one of the nation’s best liberal arts colleges, top performers on social mobility
• Fiske Guide to Colleges touts Randolph as one of the nation’s “Best and Most Interesting” institutions
• Randolph re-certified as a Bee Campus by Bee City USA®
• #18 “Most Accessible Professors” (The Princeton Review)
• #19 “Best Colleges in Virginia by Salary Potential” (PayScale)
• Randolph’s biology, foreign language, history, physics, and other departments received “Most Focused” rankings from College Factual 

2018-19 National Rankings and Recognitions:

• Randolph ranked #9 in the nation in The Princeton Review’s Guide to 399 Green Colleges
• Forbes ranked Randolph among its top 100 “Colleges with the Happiest, Most Successful Alumni”
• Randolph was included in the prestigious Fiske Guide to Colleges 2019
• Money magazine: One of the “The 46 Best Colleges for Getting Big Merit Scholarships” (#14)
• The Princeton Review ranked Randolph 18th for most accessible professors in the 2019 edition of its flagship college guide, The Best 384 Colleges
• Randolph was ranked 23rd in Best College Reviews’ national list of Top 25 Green Colleges for 2018
• Randolph was re-certified as a Bee Campus by Bee City USA®
• Randolph was named one of the Best Kinesiology and Exercise Science Colleges in Virginia by universities.com
• Randolph was named one of the Best Creative Writing Colleges in Virginia by universities.com
• Randolph was named one of the Best Environmental Science Colleges in Virginia by universities.com
• Randolph is one of the best colleges in Virginia, according to collegeconsensus.com
• Randolph’s physics, history, classics, and biology departments were recognized as the College’s “Most Focused” majors and ranked in the top 5% in College Factual’s 2019 rankings
• College Consensus named Randolph one of its Best Colleges in Virginia
• LendEDU recognized Randolph for the financial aid it offers to first-year students

2017-18 National Rankings and Recognitions:

• In its Best 382 Colleges 2018 Edition, the Princeton Review included Randolph College in its list of “Top 50 Green Colleges” (#16), “Top 20 Best Health Services,” and “Top 20 Most Accessible Professors”
• Best Value Schools: One of the “30 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in the South” and a top college for “Return on Investment” (#22)
• College Values Online: One of the “50 Small Colleges with the Best Professors”
• Randolph was named one of the “Colleges with Lowest Student Loan Debt for Parents” in a list compiled by The Student Loan Report
• Randolph was recognized as a “Cool School” by the Sierra Club
• Money magazine named Randolph one of its “Best Colleges for Your Money 2017”
• Randolph was included in the prestigious Fiske Guide to Colleges 2018
• Randolph was ranked 12th in the nation for lowest average undergraduate debt upon graduation

2016-17 National Rankings and Recognitions:

• Out of more than 1,700 four-year colleges and universities, Randolph was ranked 186 by LendEDU in its list of the most affordable schools for incoming freshmen with financial need
• Randolph was recognized as a “Cool School” by the Sierra Club
• Randolph was named one of College Factual’s “Best for the Money” institutions and was ranked as one of the top 200 liberal arts colleges in the nation by Washington Monthly.
• Randolph was included in the 2017 edition of the Princeton Review’s flagship college guide, The Best 381 Colleges
• Randolph was included in the prestigious Fiske Guide to Colleges 2017
• Bee Campus USA announced that Randolph was the ninth educational institution in the nation and the first in Virginia to be certified as an affiliate of the Bee Campus USA program
• Randolph was ranked #10 on EdSmart’s list of the “51 Most Phenomenal Student Unions”

Other Distinctions:

• Randolph is routinely ranked as a College of Distinction
• US News & World Report consistently ranks Randolph in the top tier of liberal arts colleges in the United States
• Forbes magazine has named Randolph one of America’s top colleges
• Niche: One of the “Best Small Colleges in Virginia”
• Randolph was ranked #11 in the nation and #1 in Virginia for “Best Colleges for the Money” (2015) by College Factual
• Randolph was ranked #7 on Best College Values’ list of the “Most Amazing” student centers in the nation (2015)
• Randolph was ranked #20  in the nation for “Professors get High Marks” by the Princeton Review (2015 edition)
• Randolph ranked #3 in the nation for “Best Colleges for Clubs and Activities” by Cappex (2014)
• Washington Monthly recognized Randolph as one of the top liberal arts schools in the nation in its Public Good Rankings (2014)
• Randolph was ranked #13 in the nation for “Best Professors” by CBSnews.com (2013)
• Randolph was ranked #1 in the nation for “Most Accessible Professors” by Newsweek (2011)
• Randolph College is one of only 283 colleges nationwide with a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the most prestigious academic honor society in the United States