Quad

George Washington University

Washington, DCQuad's selectivityVery selective
Known forTop test scoresDraws students nationallyHigh earnersHigh graduation ratePell students graduate at the same rateTest-optional heavy

Updates

What changed

New and revised figures from the latest data releases, each with its year.

Published Oct 8, 2026

  • Fall 2025: 27,034 applied (fall 2024: 27,016)George Washington University (Fall 2025)
  • Fall 2025: 12,741 admits (fall 2024: 12,723)George Washington University (Fall 2025)
  • Fall 2025: middle 50% SAT Reading & Writing 690–750 (fall 2024: 680–750)George Washington University Common Data Set 2025–26
  • Fall 2025: middle 50% SAT Math 670–740 (fall 2024: 670–750)George Washington University Common Data Set 2025–26
  • Fall 2027 applicants: Required for some applicants (fall 2024: Test-optional)George Washington University Common Data Set 2025–26
  • Entered fall 2024: 91% returned for a second year (entered fall 2023: 92%)George Washington University Common Data Set 2025–26

Sources:George Washington University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;George Washington University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;George Washington University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Admissions · Fall 2025

1 in 2 applicants admitted

George Washington admits about 1 in 2 applicants (47%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 85% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

47%

47%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityVery selective

Applied

27,034

Admitted

12,741

Yield

19%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1310–1450

10001600
ACT middle 50%

31–34

1836
Applications +42% since fall 2014 · admit rate 44% → 47%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A medium campus of 11,182 undergrads, where 16% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

11.2K

undergrads · larger than 90% of colleges

Diversity index

0.71

Pell Grant

16%

below the median

First generation

16%

below the median

Large cityNCAA D-I · Atlantic 10 ConferenceROTCStudy abroad
More diverse · index 0.63 → 0.71 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is International Relations and Affairs (16% of graduates). 13 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 50% of colleges. 49% of faculty are full-time. Spends $24,525 a year on instruction per student.

13 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 50% of colleges

Most popular major

International Relations and Affairs

16% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Computer Science

$150.7K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

49%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$24.5K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $55,003 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $30.7K more than the national median. The 78% who received grants paid $46,485 on average; the other 22% paid the full sticker price of $84,315.

35%

$55K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $30.7K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price
$84,315 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid
30% · avg $22K
of first-years without need got merit aid
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 35% of full price

Federal loans

32%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Cost steady · −2% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $90,873 ten years after enrolling, more than at 96% of colleges; 84% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 2.4 years of that salary.

84%

84%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$90.9K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$20.4K

≈ $217/month for 10 years

Retention

91%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 79% → 84% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 4% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 2%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 42% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 44% to 47%.

  • Cost

    Steady

    −2% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +42%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 44% → 47% (to fall 2024)

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.63 → 0.71

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

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55% admit · 7.2K undergrads

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University of Miami

19% admit · SAT 1400 · 12.9K undergrads

Similar scoresSimilar sizeAlso Southeast
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Loyola Marymount University

45% admit · SAT 1335 · 7.1K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
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Fordham University

59% admit · SAT 1400 · 10.5K undergrads

Similar scoresSimilar sizeAlso private
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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    George Washington University Common Data Set 2025–26

    George Washington University · Fall 2025; Fall 2027 applicants; Entered fall 2024; 2025–26 (estimated); 2025–26; Fall 2026 entrants; Entered fall 2019; Fall 2026 cycle; 2026–27; Class of 2025 · retrieved 2026-10-05

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  19. 19
    George Washington University (2026)

    George Washington University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 131469 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything