Washington and Lee University

Lexington, VA · Private · Town (distant) · W&L · WLU · Washington and Lee

Private institution in Lexington, VA · 1,884 undergraduates · 17% acceptance rate · $94,810 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Top 1%Median ACT
Top 2%Median earnings, 10 years after entry
Top 2%Graduation rate (4-year)
Top 3%Average SAT

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: $23,9111,421st cheapest of 1,985 reporting
In-state tuition & fees: $64,5251,994th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees: $64,5251,994th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Cost of attendance: $82,9901,953rd cheapest of 1,985 reporting
Median graduate debt: $19,500574th lowest of 1,880 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry: $94,81046th highest of 1,969 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry: $76,51679th highest of 1,964 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year): 94.9%41st highest of 2,031 reporting
Full-time retention: 95.4%127th highest of 1,853 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate: 17.4%69th most selective of 1,608 reporting
Average SAT: 150435th highest of 1,024 reporting
Median ACT: 349th highest of 954 reporting

Campus

Undergraduates: 1,884976th largest of 2,162 reporting
Student-faculty ratio: 8.0:1216th smallest of 2,159 reporting
Pell Grant share: 11.1%2,050th highest of 2,140 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 134 mi (IAD)

On 6 of our 111 lists

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

Applying

EDNov 1
ED IIJan 1
RDJan 1

Common App member: Yes
Application fee: $60
Personal essay: 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 36 reported programs.

Field	Level	1 yr	2 yr
Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$68,858	$66,449
EconomicsSocial Sciences	bachelors	$64,990	$55,964
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness	bachelors	$58,943	$56,641
Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsForeign Languages	bachelors	$57,318	—
JournalismCommunications	bachelors	$50,105	$42,682
Political Science and GovernmentSocial Sciences	bachelors	$47,930	$41,007
History	bachelors	$38,289	$30,409
English Language and Literature, GeneralEnglish Language & Literature	bachelors	$36,134	$37,593
Biology, GeneralBiological Sciences	bachelors	$24,035	—
Area StudiesArea & Ethnic Studies	bachelors	—	—
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular BiologyBiological Sciences	bachelors	—	—
Chemical EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	—	—

Campus facts

Founded in 1749source
Athletic nickname: "Generals"source
Competes in NCAA Division IIIsource
Mascot: Trident (no mascot - athletics symbol)source
Campus size: about 430 acressource
Formerly known as "{{collapsible list|"source
Formerly known as "* Augusta Academy"source
Formerly known as "(1749–1776)"source
Formerly known as "* Liberty Hall Academy"source
Formerly known as "(1776–1796)"source
Formerly known as "* Washington Academy"source
Formerly known as "(1796–1813)"source
Formerly known as "* Washington College"source
Formerly known as "(1813–1870)"source
Formerly known as "}}"source
Athletic conference: Old Dominionsource
Fight song: ""[[Washington and Lee Swing]]""source
Notable alum: Tom Wolfesource
Notable alum: Joseph L. Goldsteinsource
Notable alum: Cy Twomblysource
Notable alum: Pat Robertsonsource
Notable alum: Mike Henrysource

Athletics — 15 sports

NCAA Division III with football · NCAA Division III

Athletic scholarships not allowed · Athletic aid $0 (M $0 · W $0 · Coed $0)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport. Athletic scholarships are not allowed by association rule; non-athletic merit or need-based aid may still be available.