William & Mary
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
About William & Mary
William & Mary is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia, serving roughly 7,055 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 34.07% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $73,490 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- William & Mary charges about 4.7× the national public median tuition ($25,914).
- Versus the Virginia median, sticker tuition is 58% above.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 89.42%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $73,490.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at William & Mary is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 862% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
William & Mary awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 56 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| William & Mary | $25,914 | $19,096 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Virginia (state median) | $16,364 | $8,852 | 107 |
| Rural (locale median) | $14,160 | $18,700 | 1,649 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 26% below published tuition at William & Mary
Key findings
- William & Mary's average net price ($19,096) is 26% below published tuition ($25,914).
- William & Mary charges about 4.7× the national public median tuition ($25,914).
- Versus the Virginia median, sticker tuition is 58% above.
William & Mary tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $25,914
Finding William & Mary charges about 4.7× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $25,914. That is about 4.7× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Virginia median ($16,364), sticker tuition is 58% above. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 2.2×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at William & Mary versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at William & Mary versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at William & Mary is $19,096.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $19,096 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $10,244 above the Virginia median net price. Versus rural campuses, net price runs $396 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway William & Mary’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 26% lower after grants and scholarships.
William & Mary: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for William & Mary—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$25,914
Out-of-state tuition
$51,038
Avg. net price
$19,096
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $3,106 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $881 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $5,916 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $16,803 |
| $110,001+ | $34,370 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $103,656. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What William & Mary is known for
Top program completions
- Business Administration and Management, General502
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General189
- Law171
- Political Science and Government, General168
- Psychology, General163
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Selective — about half of applicants (or fewer) are admitted.
- Yield: 28% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1473
- Midpoint ACT: 33
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is William & Mary a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
William & Mary is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for William & Mary.
Campus
Location
Williamsburg, VA
City / state
- ZIP
- 23187-8795
- NCES locale
- Rural remote
Compared with Rural campuses nationally, net price is 2% above the median for Rural campuses ($18,700 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity
Size
Enrollment
7,055
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 7,516
- Graduate
- 2,755
- Full-time share
- 99%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$18,500
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 12.45%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for William & Mary.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at William & Mary was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for William & Mary in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $15,463 | $38,440 | $16,909 |
| 2014 | $17,656 | $39,916 | $17,194 |
| 2015 | $19,372 | $41,072 | $18,300 |
| 2016 | $21,234 | $42,274 | $19,089 |
| 2017 | $22,044 | $43,670 | $19,720 |
| 2018 | $23,400 | $45,272 | $16,383 |
| 2019 | $23,628 | $46,854 | $19,800 |
| 2020 | $23,628 | $46,854 | $19,593 |
| 2021 | $23,812 | $47,038 | $18,650 |
| 2022 | $23,970 | $47,196 | $19,442 |
| 2023 | $25,040 | $49,412 | $22,529 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution is selective, accepting about half of all applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1473 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 33 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.80
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
William & Mary reported total enrollment of about 7,055 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 41% male and 59% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (62.3%), Asian (11.5%), and Hispanic or Latino (9.0%). About 12.45% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 13.2% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
98.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at William & Mary in 2024 is 7,055 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 7,516 students. Graduate enrollment is about 2,755 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
94.6%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
84.43% 100% Completion Time
89.42% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 84.43% of students graduating from William & Mary completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Business Administration and Management, General: 62% male / 38% female
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General: 33% male / 67% female
- Law: 39% male / 61% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
William & Mary graduates earn a median of $73,490 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of William & Mary.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $73,490. Median federal loan debt: $18,500. Average net price used in cost models: $19,096.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway William & Mary graduates report median earnings of $73,490 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for William & Mary.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (56 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at William & Mary.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for William & Mary graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for William & Mary—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$1.36B
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Virginia median 44× the median ($30.9M)
- Southeast median 70× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 52× the median ($26.4M)
- Virginia median 11× the median ($13,171)
- Southeast median 16× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 12× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 78.7%
- Virginia median 17.7 pp above median (61.0%)
- Southeast median 19.3 pp above median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 20.8 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $12,942
- Virginia median 1.6× the median ($8,196)
- Southeast median 1.9× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 1.7× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $18,167
- Virginia median 2.5× the median ($7,382)
- Southeast median 2.8× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 2.5× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
William & Mary at a glance
William & Mary
William & Mary is a public institution in Williamsburg, VA, classified as Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Business Administration and Management, GeneralBiology/Biological Sciences, GeneralLaw
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian62.3%Asian11.5%Hispanic or Latino9.0%
Schools near William & Mary
Other campuses in Williamsburg, VA when available, plus nearby institutions in Virginia.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade A) within Virginia, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is William & Mary located?
William & Mary is located in Williamsburg, VA.
What is William & Mary's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at William & Mary is 34.1% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 17,548 applicants and 5,741 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is William & Mary's tuition?
William & Mary tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $25,914 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $19,096 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does William & Mary cost?
Reported tuition is $25,914 and average net price is $19,096 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $16,182 annually.
Why is William & Mary's net price so much lower than tuition?
At William & Mary, published tuition is $25,914 while average net price is $19,096—about 26% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains William & Mary's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($19,096), completion (89.4% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($73,490). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at William & Mary?
William & Mary reports undergraduate enrollment of about 7,516 students, White (62.3%), Asian (11.5%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend William & Mary?
About 13.2% of students at William & Mary are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for William & Mary?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, William & Mary reports midpoint SAT about 1473 and midpoint ACT about 33.
What do graduates of William & Mary earn?
Median earnings are $62,959 six years after entry and $73,490 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at William & Mary?
The 150%-time completion rate is 89.4% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do William & Mary students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $18,500.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.