William & Mary
William & Mary has an acceptance rate of 34.1%, annual tuition of $25,914, average net price of $19,096, and a national rank of #67 (Grade A), with a 89.4% graduation rate within 150% of normal time, about 7,055 undergraduates, and median earnings of $80,445 four years after graduation. Figures come from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and EDsmart's 2026 rankings.
William & Mary is a public university in Williamsburg, VA. Students most often pursue Computer Science and Mathematics.
Inside the classroom, students benefit from a 12:1 student-faculty ratio, and 94.6% first-year retention. Faculty pair challenging syllabi with intentional mentoring so learners keep momentum even as expectations rise.
EDsmart calculates return on investment at 102.5%, roughly 52.6 points higher than typical outcomes. Expect the strongest outcomes for students who appreciate an encouraging campus with room to explore.
Who is William & Mary Best For?
A quick look at who tends to feel most at home here based on outcomes and campus context.
EDsmart Scores Summary
William & Mary graduates 89.4% of students within 150% of normal time (the completion rate used in EDsmart rankings), with an 8-year award rate of 91.3% and keeps 94.6% of first-year students. Affordability earns a C+ compared with similar schools.
How we calculate this →Cost & Financial Aid
Quick Answers
The costs shown are averages. Use William & Mary's net price calculator to get an estimate based on your family's financial situation.
Calculate Your Net Price →Total Degree Cost Summary
Annual Cost Comparison
Cost of Undergraduate Attendance
Costs based on full-time, first-time degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduates.
View cost of attendance line items
| Costs to Consider | Price |
|---|---|
| Tuition and Fees | $25,914 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,050 |
| On-Campus Room and Board | $16,182 |
| On-Campus Other Expenses | $2,460 |
| Total On-Campus Cost | $43,035 |
Tip: focus on the rows that match your living plan—commuters can swap in off-campus estimates while residential students should budget for housing, meals, and incidental fees.
Students Receiving Aid
Use these bars to gauge how many classmates rely on need-based dollars—lower Pell or loan shares may signal a wealthier student body or generous institutional grants.
EDsmart Insight: About 12.4% of William & Mary students receive Pell Grants — below the national average, highlighting ongoing affordability priorities.
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual net price after financial aid, based on family income. Your actual cost may vary depending on your specific financial situation.
Understanding These Numbers: Net price varies significantly by income level. Low-income families pay less than $3,106 annually, while high-income families pay $34,370. Use William & Mary's net price calculator for a personalized estimate.
If your family earns $75K-$110K: Expect to pay around $16,803/year
If your family earns $110K+: Expect to pay around $34,370/year
See all income brackets →ROI & Career Outcomes
- Median Earnings (4 Years After Graduation) $80,445
- 10-Year Median Earnings $73,490
- Average Years to Graduate 4.1 years
- Average Student Debt $18,500
- Repayment Rate (3yr) 83.3%
- Employment Rate 83.9%
Graduate Earnings Distribution
Earnings range for William & Mary graduates 6 years after enrollment, showing the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile. This illustrates the variation in outcomes across different majors and career paths.
William & Mary vs. National Average
Comparison of key performance metrics showing how William & Mary's outcomes compare to the national average across earnings, graduation rates, retention, ROI, and employment. This contextualizes William & Mary's performance within the broader higher education landscape.
EDsmart Insight: William & Mary graduates report median earnings of $80,445 four years after graduation, +33% above the national median. The 102.5% ROI indicates solid long-term value.
Acceptance & Selectivity
Getting In
- SAT Evidence-Based Reading 710-760
- SAT Math 690-770
- SAT Writing Not reported
- ACT Composite 32-34
- SAT & ACT Required
- Undergraduate Enrollment 7,055
- Full-Time Students 98.8%
- Part-Time Students 1.2%
- Retention Rate 94.6%
- Grad Rate (150% time) 89.4%
- Grad Rate (8-year) 91.3%
- Student-Faculty Ratio 12:1
How to Get Into William & Mary
1. Meet Academic Requirements: William & Mary requires strong academic performance. Aim for test scores within the reported ranges and maintain a competitive GPA. Most admitted students rank in the top 10% of their high school class.
2. Build a Strong Application: Beyond test scores, focus on crafting compelling essays, securing strong letters of recommendation, and highlighting extracurricular activities that demonstrate leadership and commitment.
3. Understand Selectivity: With an acceptance rate of 34.1%, William & Mary is moderately selective. Consider applying early decision if available, as early applicants often have higher acceptance rates.
4. Financial Planning: Review the net price calculator and financial aid options early. Many students receive significant aid, making the actual cost lower than the sticker price.
Tip: Contact the admissions office directly for the most current application requirements, deadlines, and any special programs (like early decision or early action) that might improve your chances.
EDsmart Insight: William & Mary accepts 34.1% of applicants, making it moderately selective. Focus on strong academics, meaningful extracurriculars, and compelling essays to stand out. The middle 50% of admitted students score between 1400 and 1530 on the SAT.
Academic Programs
Undergraduate Program Distribution
Breakdown of the most popular majors and fields of study among William & Mary undergraduates. Business Administration, Management and Operations, Political Science and Government, and Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other draw the most students.
- Business Administration, Management and Operations 9.8%
- Political Science and Government 9.2%
- Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 8.4%
- Psychology, General 7.2%
- Economics 7.2%
- Biology, General 7.0%
See more majors
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitnes 6.6%
- History 4.9%
Highest Earning Programs
Median earnings five years after graduation for each program. These figures help illustrate ROI by field of study and degree level.
Undergraduate Programs (Bachelor's Degrees)
- 1. Computer Science $145,337
- 2. Mathematics $114,526
- 3. Business Administration, Management and Operations $103,576
Show additional high-earning majors
- 4. Economics $86,782
- 5. International Relations and National Security Studies $81,921
- 6. Chemistry $80,208
- 7. Political Science and Government $76,102
- 8. Area Studies $75,576
- 9. Biology, General $69,010
- 10. Health and Physical Education/Fitness $66,872
Graduate Programs (Master's, Doctoral, Professional)
- 1. Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degree) $113,159
- 2. Law (First Professional Degree) $109,046
- 3. Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degree) $96,640
Show additional graduate majors
- 4. Public Policy Analysis (Master's Degree) $90,573
- 5. Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's Degree) $85,770
- 6. Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degree) $56,301
- 7. Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degree) $53,998
- 8. Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degree) $49,261
Program Choice Matters: Undergraduate: Computer Science grads earn $145,337—117% more than Health and Physical Education/Fitness ($66,872). Graduate: Business Administration, Management and Operations programs lead with $113,159 median earnings. Your program and degree level choice significantly impact career earnings.
Online Degrees & Distance Learning
College Scorecard reports fully online programs for William & Mary. Below are the most popular options based on the number of recent graduates, followed by a quick look at the breadth of online offerings by degree level.
Source: U.S. Department of Education – College Scorecard
Most Popular Online Degrees
- Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degree, 193 graduates)
- Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degree, 182 graduates)
- Law (First Professional Degree, 179 graduates)
- Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Bachelor's Degree, 165 graduates)
- Economics (Bachelor's Degree, 142 graduates)
What This School Offers Online, at a Glance
College Scorecard flags the following online degree and certificate programs for this institution. Expand each credential level to view the complete list of available subjects.
Online Bachelor's Degrees (33 programs)▼
- Business Administration, Management and Operations
- Political Science and Government
- Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
- Economics
- Psychology, General
- Biology, General
- Health and Physical Education/Fitness
- History
- International Relations and National Security Studies
- Mathematics
- English Language and Literature, General
- Computer Science
- Neurobiology and Neurosciences
- Chemistry
- Public Policy Analysis
- Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Area Studies
- Philosophy
- Sociology
- Physics
- Fine and Studio Arts
- Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
- Anthropology
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Music
- Religion/Religious Studies
- Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
- East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
- Statistics
- Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
- Data Science
Online Master's Degrees (16 programs)▼
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Accounting and Related Services
- Legal Professions and Studies, Other
- Educational Administration and Supervision
- Computer and Information Sciences, General
- Public Policy Analysis
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
- History
- Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
- Biology, General
- Physics
- Psychology, General
- Chemistry
- Anthropology
- Area Studies
- Biological and Physical Sciences
Online Doctoral Degrees (8 programs)▼
- Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
- Computer and Information Sciences, General
- Biological and Physical Sciences
- Student Counseling and Personnel Services
- History
- Area Studies
- Physics
- Anthropology
Online Graduate/Professional Certificates (5 programs)▼
- Special Education and Teaching
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Geography and Cartography
- Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language
Online First Professional Degrees (1 program)▼
- Law
Student Demographics
Student Population
- Total Undergraduate Enrollment 7,055
- Full-Time Students 98.8%
- Part-Time Students 1.2%
- Male Students 41.3%
- Female Students 58.7%
- Caucasian 62.3%
- Asian 11.5%
- Hispanic 9.0%
- Black 5.1%
- Pell Grant Recipients 12.4%
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
Undergraduate student body composition by racial and ethnic background. This reflects William & Mary's commitment to diversity and inclusion in admissions.
Gender Distribution
Gender breakdown of William & Mary's undergraduate population. The university maintains a roughly balanced gender distribution across its student body.
Graduation Rate Equity Analysis
How well does William & Mary support students from different economic backgrounds?
What this means: Lower-income students (Pell Grant recipients) graduate at nearly the same rate as higher-income students, indicating strong institutional support for all economic backgrounds.
Compare graduation rates by race/ethnicity
Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity
Six-year graduation rates for different demographic groups at William & Mary, compared to national averages. This shows whether the institution supports all students equitably.
EDsmart Insight: About 12.4% receive Pell Grants, below the national average of 38%, suggesting a wealthier student body or generous institutional aid.
Graduation Rate Equity Analysis
How well does William & Mary support students from different economic backgrounds?
What this means: Lower-income students (Pell Grant recipients) graduate at nearly the same rate as higher-income students, indicating strong institutional support for all economic backgrounds.
Compare graduation rates by race/ethnicity
Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity
Six-year graduation rates for different demographic groups at William & Mary, compared to national averages. This shows whether the institution supports all students equitably.
Our Take
Ranking #67 nationally, William & Mary combines competitive admissions with 102.5% ROI, positioning itself among America's stronger universities. The institution balances academic rigor with $80,445 in median post-graduation earnings.
Students graduate within 150% of normal time at a 89.4% rate, with 94.6% retention reflecting solid satisfaction. The $19,096 annual net price falls in the moderate range, though 261 institutions deliver comparable outcomes at lower costs.
Competitive Selective University: William & Mary's Market Position
A grade | #67 of 1947 | 96.6/100 on EDsmart's national index (0–100 vs. all ranked schools; not a raw point total)
Competitive Positioning: William & Mary occupies the competitive selective tier—not elite enough for automatic career advantages, but strong enough to provide quality education and reasonable outcomes. The 102.5% ROI reflects this middle ground: better than most, but not top-tier.
Value for Money: $19,096 annually produces $80,445 median earnings—a reasonable but not exceptional return. Students choosing William & Mary should evaluate whether the institution's specific programs, location, or campus culture justify costs versus higher-ROI alternatives.
Who Succeeds Here: Self-directed students who maximize campus resources (research, internships, networking) achieve outcomes rivaling higher-ranked schools. Students seeking specific programs or geographic locations find strong value. Those needing extensive hand-holding may struggle in larger university environments.
Final Assessment: William & Mary's #67 ranking and A grade reflect solid performance across metrics. With 261 schools offering better ROI, value-focused students should compare carefully. However, for students who fit the institution's culture and programs, outcomes justify investment.
Key Takeaways
- 89.4% graduation rate sits 26.9 points above the national 62.5% benchmark.
- 94.6% first-year retention is 17.8 points above the national norm of 76.8%.
- 102.5% return on investment is 52.6 points above the national 49.9% benchmark.
- Median earnings of $80,445 run about 33% higher than national outcomes four years after graduation.
- Average net price of $19,096 is roughly $983 lower than the national median of $20,079.
Helpfulness for Students
- 12:1 student-faculty ratio keeps mentorship close and courses discussion-sized.
- 94.6% first-year retention shows students stay engaged after the first year.
- 83.9% employment rate within three years sits 15.7 points above national outcomes.
- Pell participation at 12.4% trails the national share by 22.0 points, so equity work remains important.
- Compare aid offers from nearby public universities to weigh the premium for smaller classes.
- Compare aid offers from nearby public universities to weigh the premium for smaller classes.
EDsmart Expert Analysis
Located in Williamsburg, VA, William & Mary operates as a public university and receives a A from EDsmart. It appears at #67 in EDsmart's national list Grades by category break down as Completion A, Support A-, Career Outcomes A-, and Affordability C+.
Grades are assigned relative to EDsmart's national bachelor's cohort using standardized outcomes (2026 methodology); they reflect how a school compares to peers, not a fixed percentage of a raw point total.
Student momentum is strong: 94.6% retention, 89.4% graduation within 150% of normal time, and 91.3% earning an award within eight years. Return on investment currently measures 102.5% for this program.
Why it matters: this snapshot shows how likely you are to stay on track academically and whether the outcomes justify the price tag. Letter grades summarize cohort-relative performance—not a single exam-style score.
EDsmart Financial Snapshot
Families pay about $19,096 on average after aid, compared with a published cost near $43,035.
Institutional and federal aid lower costs by roughly $23,939 per year.
Graduates leave with a median of $18,500 in federal loans, which lines up with national norms.
About 12.4% of students receive Pell Grants, giving a snapshot of the campus income mix.
Why it matters: lining up sticker price, aid, and typical debt helps you stress-test the budget before you commit.
EDsmart Career Snapshot
Median earnings come in near $80,445 four years after graduation. That sits about 33% above the national median.
The three-year employment rate is close to 83.9%.
Plan around an ROI of about 102.5% according to the Scorecard data.
Why it matters: pairing median earnings with employment rates gives you a sense of payback time after graduation.
EDsmart Admissions Snapshot
34.1% of applicants receive offers, so preparation and fit matter.
The admissions team encourages students to highlight academic strengths through transcripts, essays, and recommendations.
Prospective students can apply early for priority review and lean on the William & Mary admissions site for deadlines, visit options, and counselor contacts.
Why it matters: knowing the admit rate and application expectations lets you map out testing, essays, and deadlines with less stress.
Your Decision Toolkit
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is William & Mary's acceptance rate?
William & Mary's acceptance rate is 34.1%, based on U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard admissions data.
How much does William & Mary cost?
At William & Mary, listed tuition and fees are $25,914 per year, and the average net price after aid is $19,096. Use the net price calculator on this page for a personalized estimate.
What is William & Mary's ranking?
William & Mary ranks #67 nationally in EDsmart's 2026 college rankings with an overall grade of A, based on completion, affordability, support, and career outcomes.
What is William & Mary's graduation rate?
At William & Mary, the graduation rate within 150% of normal time is 89.4% (the rate used in EDsmart rankings), College Scorecard 8-year award rate is 91.3%, and first-year retention is 94.6%.
What are William & Mary's job outcomes?
Graduates of William & Mary report median earnings of $80,445 four years after graduation, according to College Scorecard federal outcome data. Outcomes vary by major.
What is William & Mary's student population?
William & Mary enrolls about 7,055 undergraduate students, per College Scorecard enrollment data.
Contact Information
- Address Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
- Website www.wm.edu
- Net Price Calculator Calculate Your Cost
- Financial AidView Financial Aid Information
- AccreditationSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
- Endowment$1.36B
- Transfer Enrollment Rate7.3%