Home Colleges District of Columbia George Washington University
Private 4-Year Moderately Selective Washington, DC NCAA Division I without football

George Washington University

Washington, DC

47.1%
Acceptance Rate
$87,780/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$36,586/yr
Avg Price After Aid
84.5%
6-yr Grad Rate
11,182
Undergrads

About George Washington University

George Washington University is a private nonprofit institution located in Washington, DC's large city center. It enrolls 11,182 undergraduates and maintains a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio, with an 84.5% graduation rate.

Type
Private 4-Year
Undergrads
11,182
Avg Faculty Salary
$151,751
Athletics
NCAA Division I without football
Endowment
$2.6B
Pell Students
15.8%
First-Gen
16.1%
What George Washington University Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Political Communication 39 graduates · 1.7% of degrees here vs 0% nationally 538×
Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics 29 graduates · 1.3% of degrees here vs 0.01% nationally 101×
Public Health 106 graduates · 4.6% of degrees here vs 0.07% nationally 63×
International Relations and Affairs 398 graduates · 17.2% of degrees here vs 0.32% nationally 54×
Political Science and Government 231 graduates · 10% of degrees here vs 1.74% nationally
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
47.1%
Acceptance rate · Moderately Selective
66.3%
ED Rate
27,094
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$36,586 avg net
Average net price after aid
$17,440
Under $30K income
$2.6B
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$71,607 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
84.5%
6-yr Grad Rate
$20,449
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

George Washington University Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
47.1%
27,094 applicants
Early Decision Rate
66.3%
ED applications: 1,139

George Washington University admits 47.1% of applicants, indicating moderately selective admissions. An applicant should expect meaningful competition, as the university enrolled 2,539 students from 11,798 admitted applicants.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 2 applicants is admitted · 27,094 applied
10-Year Acceptance Rate Trend
10-year trend · Source: College Scorecard
10 years

SAT & ACT Score Ranges

Where Admitted Students Score
Middle 50% of enrolled students, on the full SAT scale · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS)
Fall 2023
1350–1500
40080012001600

Admissions Requirements

Admission Factor Weights
Official weights from submitted institutional data · Source: Common Data Set, section C7
Rigor of coursework Very Important
Class rank Not Considered
Academic GPA Very Important
Standardized test scores Considered
Application essay Important
Recommendations Important
Class Rank Profile
25% of students submitted rank · Source: Common Data Set
Top 10th of class
40.33%
Top quarter
73.05%
Top half
93.42%
Waitlist Statistics
Source: Common Data Set
6,517
Offered spot
2,844
Accepted offer
1,188
Admitted from WL
Who Applies, and Who Gets In
First-year applicants, admits and enrollees by gender
Applied Admitted Rate Enrolled
Men 9,675 4,335 44.8% 942
Women 17,419 7,463 42.8% 1,597
SOURCEIPEDS Admissions — Fall 2023 admissions cycle
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

George Washington University admits 47.1% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 74%.

Acceptance rate
This school
47.1%
Similar colleges (1,009)
73.8%
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA (49)
77.7%
National (1,934)
78.1%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

George Washington University Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$36,586
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$20,449
Federal Loan Rate
31.6%
Students borrowing federal loans

George Washington University's sticker price is $87,780, while the average net price students pay is $36,586. Students with lower incomes pay significantly less than the sticker price.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$87,780
Tuition & Fees
$67,710
77%
Room & Board
$16,920
19%
Books & Supplies
$1,450
2%
Other Expenses
$1,700
2%

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income
Average net price after all grants and scholarships · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS net price)
Under $30,000
$17,440
$30,001 – $48,000
$17,292
$48,001 – $75,000
$22,080
$75,001 – $110,000
$28,100
Over $110,000
$55,337

* One or more income brackets show an unusually low net price, reflecting need-based aid that can reduce cost to near zero for families in that range.

Full Cost of Attendance
Source: College Scorecard
2023-24

Student Loan Debt

How Many Students Borrow
Undergraduates taking on any loan
Take out a loan
93%
Federal loans
32%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $217.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How This Price Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

After aid, George Washington University costs $36,586 a year — about 62% more than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$83,856
Similar colleges (1,094)
$49,718
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA (66)
$28,723
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
92.8%
Similar colleges (998)
91.8%
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA (91)
85.5%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$20,449
Similar colleges (1,032)
$24,977
DC (15)
$20,449
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA (97)
$14,750
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$36,586
Similar colleges (1,105)
$22,585
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA (103)
$18,526
National (5,106)
$17,160

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

George Washington University Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
84.5%
Median Earnings 6yr
$71,607
6 years after entering

George Washington University has an 84.5% graduation rate. Graduates earn a median of $71,607 six years after enrollment and $90,873 ten years after enrollment.

Graduate Earnings After College

Median Graduate Earnings Over Time
6 and 10 years after entering · includes all students, not just graduates · Source: College Scorecard
Median Earnings by Gender · 6 Years After Entering
Students working 6 years after entering · Source: College Scorecard
$74,106
Men
$70,400
Women
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
84.6%
Pell recipients
83.3%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
International Relations and Affairs398
Political Science and Government, General231
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse203
Business Administration and Management,...147
Public Health, Other106
Psychology, General98
Biology/Biological Sciences, General68
Computer Science57
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies52
Finance, General48
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
Asian
86.7%
Black
85.7%
White
84.2%
Hispanic
82.6%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering George Washington University are $78,974, and 82% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How These Outcomes Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Six years after entry, former George Washington University students earn $71,607 — 57% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$90,873
Similar colleges (1,077)
$54,064
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA (98)
$45,013
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$71,607
Similar colleges (1,077)
$45,468
DC (15)
$38,533
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA (105)
$37,482
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
84.5%
Similar colleges (1,074)
58.1%
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA (49)
58.7%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
92%
Similar colleges (1,117)
76.6%
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA (57)
78.3%
National (1,841)
75.7%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

George Washington University Campus, Athletics & Faculty

George Washington University is a private nonprofit institution located in Washington, DC's large city setting with an undergraduate enrollment of 11,182 students. The student body includes 63.7% women, 16.1% first-generation students, and 15.8% Pell grant recipients.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
47.8%
Asian
15.7%
Hispanic
13.7%
Black
7.9%
Other Indicators
First-generation
16.1%
Pell grant recipients
15.8%
Women
63.7%
George Washington University Athletics
Total Revenue
$16.8M
Total Expense
$16.8M
Athletes
466
164 men · 302 women
Head Coach Salaries
Men's vs Women's programs · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's sports
$193,518
Women's sports
$122,518

Average head coach salary by program gender.

Athletic Aid
Scholarship spending by gender · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's aid
$4,626,781
Women's aid
$8,346,622
Academic Resources
1,116
Full-time faculty
$151,751
Avg faculty salary
16,912
FT staff
$2.6B
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$164,969
Women (avg)
$137,500
Overall avg
$151,751
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
Undergraduates
11,182
Graduate students
13,697

Graduate and professional students outnumber undergraduates here, which shapes class sizes, housing and campus life in ways an undergraduate figure alone doesn't show.

Varsity Athletes
Play a varsity sport
3.9%

401 of 10,281 undergraduates, counting each athlete once regardless of how many sports they play.

SOURCEIPEDS enrollment; Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filings
Online & Distance Learning
How much of the teaching happens remotely
Undergrads fully online
4.3%
Undergrads taking any
6.5%
Grad students fully online
28.3%

491 of 11,387 undergraduates study entirely at a distance, against 4,017 of 14,181 graduate students.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

George Washington University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and operates its own medical school.

How This Campus Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median
Pell grant share
This school
15.8%
Similar colleges (1,171)
32.8%
DC (15)
35.8%
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA (111)
34.3%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Research spending per student
This school
$11,693
Similar colleges (1,164)
$6,264
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA (57)
$6,579
National (2,823)
$5,605
Students per faculty member
This school
13:1
Similar colleges (1,191)
12:1
DC (16)
11:1
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA (116)
14:1
National (5,427)
15:1

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Every Major at George Washington University
85 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
2,308 graduates
Social Sciences 736 grads · 9 majors
International Relations and Affairs 398
Political Science and Government, General 231
Economics, General 33
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 30
Physical and Biological Anthropology 13
Sociology, General 10
Geography 8
Anthropology, General 7
Archeology 6
Health Professions 362 grads · 7 majors
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 203
Public Health, Other 106
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention,... 16
Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical... 16
Health/Health Care Administration/Management 10
Clinical Research Coordinator 6
Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language... 5
Business and Marketing 324 grads · 10 majors
Business Administration and Management,... 147
Finance, General 48
International Business/Trade/Commerce 32
Organizational Behavior Studies 28
Marketing/Marketing Management, General 25
Management Science 22
Accounting 15
Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies 4
Real Estate 2
Business/Commerce, General 1
Computer and Information Sciences 132 grads · 5 majors
Computer Science 57
Computer and Information Systems... 26
Information Science/Studies 21
Computer and Information Sciences, General 15
Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database... 13
Psychology 129 grads · 3 majors
Psychology, General 98
Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics 29
Experimental Psychology 2
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 122 grads · 4 majors
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 68
Neuroscience 35
Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology 18
Bioinformatics 1
Engineering 117 grads · 7 majors
Mechanical Engineering 39
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 32
Civil Engineering, General 13
Systems Engineering 13
Electrical and Electronics Engineering 11
Computer Engineering, General 8
Engineering, General 1
Communication and Journalism 99 grads · 4 majors
Political Communication 39
Journalism 38
Communication, General 19
Photojournalism 3
Homeland Security and Protective Services 56 grads · 2 majors
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 52
Critical Infrastructure Protection 4
Visual and Performing Arts 53 grads · 8 majors
Art History, Criticism and Conservation 12
Interior Design 12
Graphic Design 9
Fine/Studio Arts, General 8
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 4
Design and Visual Communications, General 3
Music, General 3
Dance, General 2
English Language and Literature 27 grads · 2 majors
English Language and Literature, General 16
Creative Writing 11
History 25 grads · 1 major
History, General 25
Natural Resources and Conservation 25 grads · 2 majors
Environmental Studies 14
Environmental Science 11
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 18 grads · 3 majors
American/United States Studies/Civilization 10
Women's Studies 5
African Studies 3
Physical Sciences 17 grads · 3 majors
Chemistry, General 13
Geological and Earth... 2
Physics, General 2
Mathematics and Statistics 14 grads · 2 majors
Mathematics, General 9
Statistics, General 5
Multidisciplinary Studies 14 grads · 3 majors
Nutrition Sciences 7
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution 5
Classical, Ancient Mediterranean, and... 2
Public Administration and Social Services 13 grads · 1 major
Human Services, General 13
Philosophy and Religious Studies 13 grads · 2 majors
Philosophy 11
Religion/Religious Studies 2
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 11 grads · 6 majors
Chinese Language and Literature 3
Japanese Language and Literature 2
Korean Language and Literature 2
Spanish Language and Literature 2
German Language and Literature 1
Russian Language and Literature 1
Liberal Arts and General Studies 1 grads · 1 major
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 1
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

George Washington University Location & Campus Safety

George Washington University is in Washington, DC, in what IPEDS classifies as a large city setting. The campus sits about 1.7 miles from the center of Washington. There are 20 other colleges within 25 miles, and Washington, DC is 1.7 miles away.

George Washington University Other colleges within 30 miles
Large city
Campus Setting
1.7 mi
To City Center
20
Colleges Within 25 mi
672,079
Washington Population
Living in Washington
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$1,900
Median Rent / mo
$106,287
Median Household Income
28.5%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
28.2%
Walk
10%
Public transit
22.3%

District of Columbia scores 14.4 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — above average walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.

Undergraduates make up about 5.4% of Washington's residents.

SOURCEU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates; EPA National Walkability Index
Colleges Near George Washington University
Within 30 miles, at least 500 students, by straight-line distance
Georgetown University 7,569 students 1.5 mi
Howard University 10,108 students 2.2 mi
SOURCEIPEDS campus coordinates, George Washington University to each campus

Campus Safety at George Washington University

Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures George Washington University reported for 2024.

33
On-Campus Offenses
26
In Residence Halls
1.3
Per 1,000 Students
42
Domestic, Dating & Stalking

Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.

Reported On-Campus Offenses by Year
Criminal offenses reported on campus, including residence halls · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act disclosures
2022
25
2023
13
2024
33
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Sexual offenses
26
Motor vehicle theft
4
Burglary
2
Aggravated assault
1

Separately, George Washington University reported 313 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.

SOURCEU.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety and Security — Clery Act disclosures, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about George Washington University admissions, costs, and outcomes.