 As of 2011 , there are 176 colleges and universities in Virginia . In the U.S. News & World Report ranking of public colleges , the University of Virginia is second , The College of William & Mary is sixth , and Virginia Tech is 25th . Virginia Commonwealth University is ranked the top public graduate school in fine arts , while James Madison University has been recognized as the top regional public master 's program in The South since 1993 . The Virginia Military Institute is the oldest state military college and a top ranked public liberal arts college . George Mason University is the largest university in Virginia with over 32 @,@ 000 students . Virginia Tech and Virginia State University are the state 's land @-@ grant universities . Virginia also operates 23 community colleges on 40 campuses serving over 260 @,@ 000 students . There are 129 private institutions , including Hampton University , Washington and Lee University , Randolph College , Hampden – Sydney College , Emory & Henry College , Roanoke College , the University of Richmond , and Randolph @-@ Macon College . 
