Fairfax, Virginia, is home to the state's largest higher education institution, George Mason University. It was founded in 1957 as part of the University of Virginia and enrolls approximately 32,000 students each year. Virginia Commonwealth University ranks second on the list. It is in the state capital of Richmond and is home to almost 32,000 students. The third largest institution is Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, otherwise known as Virginia Tech. The university is in the more rural Blacksburg, in west-central Virginia. Approximately 30,000 students attend there.
Several Virginia colleges made the 2011 list of best schools published by U.S. News & World Report. The University of Virginia in Charlottesville is ranked No. 25. Approximately 24,000 students attend. The College of William & Mary, with an enrollment of about 7,500, is ranked at No. 31. The college is in Williamsburg and is the second oldest college in the nation. It was founded in 1693.
James Madison University, in Harrisonburg, is one of the more affordable colleges in Virginia. Enrollment there is approximately 19,000 students and tuition is just under $7,900 per year as of February 2011. In Lexington, 1,500 students attend the Virginia Military Institute. There, tuition and fees total about $12,300 per year.
The two most selective colleges in the state are William & Mary and the University of Virginia. The acceptance rate at W&M in 2010 was 34 percent. The University of Virginia accepted only 32 percent of applicants the same year.