George Mason University

Fairfax, VA · Public · Large suburb · Carnegie R1/R2 · GMU · Mason

Public institution in Fairfax, VA · 27,083 undergraduates · 89% acceptance rate · $76,343 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Top 3%Undergraduates
Top 9%Median earnings, 10 years after entry
Top 12%Median earnings, 6 years after entry
Top 18%Full-time retention

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Cost

Average net price: $18,287927th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
In-state tuition & fees: $13,815885th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees: $39,3971,600th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Cost of attendance: $26,972806th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
Median graduate debt: $19,500574th lowest of 1,880 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry: $76,343184th highest of 1,969 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry: $60,536240th highest of 1,964 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year): 69.3%449th highest of 2,031 reporting
Full-time retention: 87.4%340th highest of 1,853 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate: 88.8%1,199th most selective of 1,608 reporting
Average SAT: 1247285th highest of 1,024 reporting
Median ACT: 28177th highest of 954 reporting

Campus

Undergraduates: 27,08367th largest of 2,162 reporting
Student-faculty ratio: 16.0:11,471st smallest of 2,159 reporting
Pell Grant share: 29.5%1,237th highest of 2,140 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 12 mi (IAD)

On 2 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

Applying

EANov 1
RDFeb 1

Common App member: Yes
Application fee: $70
Personal essay: Optional / not required
Writing supplement: No

Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 65 reported programs.

Field	Level	1 yr	2 yr
Computer EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$76,460	$69,338
Systems EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$72,357	$74,576
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Science	bachelors	$70,942	$68,104
Computer Science	bachelors	$69,338	$78,343
Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$68,638	$66,756
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions	bachelors	$64,672	$64,373
Civil EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$63,643	$64,281
Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsBusiness	bachelors	$58,372	$63,430
Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$58,249	$58,974
Biomedical/Medical EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$57,318	$69,338
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$56,415	$58,057
EconomicsSocial Sciences	bachelors	$53,150	$51,915

Campus facts

Founded in 1957source
Athletic nickname: "Patriots"source
Competes in Atlantic 10 Conferencesource
School colors: Green and Goldsource
Mascot: The Patriotsource
Motto: ""Freedom and Learning""source
Athletic conference: A-10source
2 Nobel laureates affiliatedsource
Fight song: ""Onward to Victory""source
Notable alum: Anousheh Ansarisource
Notable alum: Karl Rovesource
Notable alum: Q4502477source
Notable alum: Najla Mangoushsource
Notable alum: Zainab Salbisource

Athletics — 12 sports

NCAA Division I without football · NCAA Division I

Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $7,723,356 (M $3,539,493 · W $4,183,863)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.