University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg, VA 22401-5300
About University of Mary Washington
University of Mary Washington is a public research university in Fredericksburg, Virginia, serving roughly 3,566 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 79.78% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $60,613 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- University of Mary Washington charges about 2.7× the national public median tuition ($14,640).
- Versus the Virginia median, sticker tuition is 11% below.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 66.41%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $60,613.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at University of Mary Washington is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 633% 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.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Mary Washington | $14,640 | $20,667 | 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.
How expensive is University of Mary Washington really?
Key findings
- University of Mary Washington charges about 2.7× the national public median tuition ($14,640).
- Versus the Virginia median, sticker tuition is 11% below.
University of Mary Washington tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $14,640
Finding University of Mary Washington charges about 2.7× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $14,640. That is about 2.7× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Virginia median ($16,364), sticker tuition is 11% below. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 23% above.
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 University of Mary Washington versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at University of Mary Washington versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at University of Mary Washington is $20,667.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $20,667 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $11,815 above the Virginia median net price. Versus rural campuses, net price runs $1,967 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 At University of Mary Washington, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
University of Mary Washington: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for University of Mary Washington—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
$14,640
Out-of-state tuition
$27,560
Avg. net price
$20,667
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $10,304 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $11,061 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $15,477 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $26,212 |
| $110,001+ | $30,986 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $58,560. 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 University of Mary Washington is known for
Top program completions
- Business Administration and Management, General186
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General86
- Psychology, General73
- Computer and Information Sciences, General69
- Communication and Media Studies56
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 19% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1272
- Midpoint ACT: 29
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is University of Mary Washington a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
University of Mary Washington 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 University of Mary Washington.
Campus
Location
Fredericksburg, VA
City / state
- ZIP
- 22401-5300
- NCES locale
- Rural distant
Compared with Rural campuses nationally, net price is 11% above the median for Rural campuses ($18,700 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields
Size
Enrollment
3,566
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 4,001
- Graduate
- 166
- Full-time share
- 87%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$20,500
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 21.05%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for University of Mary Washington.
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 University of Mary Washington 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 University of Mary Washington 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 | $9,720 | $22,590 | $17,896 |
| 2014 | $10,312 | $23,598 | $20,595 |
| 2015 | $11,130 | $25,294 | $20,186 |
| 2016 | $11,630 | $26,220 | $21,569 |
| 2017 | $12,128 | $27,374 | $21,227 |
| 2018 | $12,714 | $28,648 | $21,483 |
| 2019 | $13,270 | $29,696 | $21,907 |
| 2020 | $13,845 | $30,502 | $23,193 |
| 2021 | $13,830 | $30,256 | $22,547 |
| 2022 | $14,234 | $31,154 | $22,066 |
| 2023 | $14,559 | $31,479 | $21,108 |
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 has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1272 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 29 (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 3.40
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
University of Mary Washington reported total enrollment of about 3,566 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 36% male and 64% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (59.3%), Hispanic or Latino (13.0%), and Black or African American (8.2%). About 21.05% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 24.8% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
86.9% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at University of Mary Washington in 2024 is 3,566 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 4,001 students. Graduate enrollment is about 166 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
84.4%
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
57.39% 100% Completion Time
66.41% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 57.39% of students graduating from University of Mary Washington 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: 52% male / 48% female
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General: 23% male / 77% female
- Psychology, General: 15% male / 85% 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.
University of Mary Washington graduates earn a median of $60,613 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of University of Mary Washington.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $60,613. Median federal loan debt: $20,500. Average net price used in cost models: $20,667.
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 University of Mary Washington graduates report median earnings of $60,613 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 University of Mary Washington.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (34 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at University of Mary Washington.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for University of Mary Washington graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for University of Mary Washington—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$77.6M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Virginia median 2.5× the median ($30.9M)
- Southeast median 4.0× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 2.9× the median ($26.4M)
- Virginia median 1.8× the median ($13,171)
- Southeast median 2.5× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 1.9× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 68.0%
- Virginia median 7.0 pp above median (61.0%)
- Southeast median 8.5 pp above median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 10.0 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $9,957
- Virginia median 1.2× the median ($8,196)
- Southeast median 1.5× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 1.3× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $11,398
- Virginia median 1.5× the median ($7,382)
- Southeast median 1.7× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 1.6× 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.
University of Mary Washington at a glance
University of Mary Washington
University of Mary Washington is a public institution in Fredericksburg, VA, classified as Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Business Administration and Management, GeneralBiology/Biological Sciences, GeneralPsychology, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian59.3%Hispanic or Latino13.0%Black or African American8.2%
Schools near University of Mary Washington
Other campuses in Fredericksburg, VA when available, plus nearby institutions in Virginia.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade B) within Virginia, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is University of Mary Washington located?
University of Mary Washington is located in Fredericksburg, VA.
What is University of Mary Washington's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at University of Mary Washington is 79.8% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 4,606 applicants and 3,973 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is University of Mary Washington's tuition?
University of Mary Washington tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $14,640 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $20,667 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does University of Mary Washington cost?
Reported tuition is $14,640 and average net price is $20,667 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $14,250 annually.
What explains University of Mary Washington's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($20,667), completion (66.4% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($60,613). 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 University of Mary Washington?
University of Mary Washington reports undergraduate enrollment of about 4,001 students, White (59.3%), Hispanic or Latino (13.0%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend University of Mary Washington?
About 24.8% of students at University of Mary Washington are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for University of Mary Washington?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, University of Mary Washington reports midpoint SAT about 1272 and midpoint ACT about 29.
What do graduates of University of Mary Washington earn?
Median earnings are $49,411 six years after entry and $60,613 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at University of Mary Washington?
The 150%-time completion rate is 66.4% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do University of Mary Washington students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $20,500.
Is University of Mary Washington public or private?
University of Mary Washington is a public institution located in Fredericksburg, VA.
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.