George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia · Also known as George Mason · Website
$76,343
median earnings, 10 years after starting
$76,343
median earnings, 10 years after starting
George Mason University is a public 4-year college in Fairfax, Virginia with 27,752 undergraduates and 11,432 graduate students. Its average net price after grants is $17,915 a year (tuition and fees $14,220 in-state, $38,688 out-of-state). It admits 87% of applicants and 68% of students finish within 6 years. Former students earn a median $76,343 a year 10 years after they started, and graduates leave with a median $19,500 in federal student loans.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · June 2026 data
Net price
$17,915
US median $17,138
Tuition in-state
$14,220
Out-of-state $38,688
Admission rate
87%
US median 78%
Completion rate
68%
Within 6 years, US 58%
Median debt
$19,500
About $207 a month
Earnings at 10 years
$76,343
Rank 245 of 5,094 in the US
Cost
What a year costs: posted prices and the average after grants
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants, for students who get aid
- Net price
- $17,915
- Tuition in-state
- $14,220
- Tuition out-of-state
- $38,688
- Cost of attendance
- $28,604
- Students with a need-based grant
- 30%
- Students with federal loans
- 31%
- Net price, family income under $30K
- $11,942
- Net price, family income $30K to $48K
- $12,093
- Net price, family income $48K to $75K
- $15,224
- Net price, family income $75K to $110K
- $19,430
- Net price, family income over $110K
- $25,894
Net price is what students who get aid pay on average after grants.
Tuition and net price by year
School years 2015-16 to 2024-25. The year on the chart is the year the school year starts.
Yearly cost
Tuition and fees went from $10,952 in 2015-16 to $14,220 in 2024-25.
Admission, completion and retention
Share of applicants admitted, of students who finish and of first-year students who come back
Admission and students
- Admission rate
- 87%
- Average SAT
- 1,274
- SAT reading, middle
- 625
- SAT math, middle
- 620
- ACT, middle
- 28
- Undergraduates
- 27,752
- Graduate students
- 11,432
- Part-time students
- 19%
- Women
- 49%
- Students per teacher
- 16
- Completion rate
- 68%
- Retention rate
- 86%
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Programs
- 268
- Endowment
- $206.8M
Earnings and debt
Compared with the medians of the colleges of its state, of colleges of the same kind and of all US colleges
Median earnings 10 years after starting rank 245 of 5,094 US colleges and 8 of 127 in Virginia (1 = highest).
| Measure | College | VA median | Same kind | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net price | $17,915 | $19,081 | $12,792 | $17,138 |
| Tuition in-state | $14,220 | $16,364 | $8,626 | $11,837 |
| Admission rate | 87% | 80% | 83% | 78% |
| Completion rate | 68% | 52% | 46% | 58% |
| Retention rate | 86% | 73% | 76% | 75% |
| Median debt | $19,500 | $20,000 | $19,500 | $13,271 |
| Earnings after 6 years | $60,536 | $36,582 | $43,105 | $35,656 |
| Earnings after 10 years | $76,343 | $42,837 | $50,314 | $40,813 |
Best-paid programs
Median earnings 1 year after graduation
Same kind: US public 4-year colleges. Earnings and debt are medians of former students who received federal student aid. 73% of borrowers lowered their balance within 3 years. 81% earn more than a typical high school graduate 6 years after starting.
Programs
268 fields of study and credentials, with graduates, debt and earnings
| Field of study | Graduates | Median debt | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | US median 4 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 761 | $21,000 | $78,800 | $110,754 | $92,374 |
| Business/Commerce, GeneralOnlineBachelor's | Bachelor's | 645 | - | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Psychology, GeneralOnlineBachelor's | Bachelor's | 383 | $17,625 | $36,326 | $62,563 | $50,706 |
| Criminal Justice and CorrectionsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 362 | $17,750 | $43,612 | $69,511 | $55,378 |
| Computer Software and Media ApplicationsOnlineMaster's | Master's | 319 | $35,713 | $126,908 | $162,691 | $120,083 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralOnlineMaster's | Master's | 299 | $26,262 | $130,014 | $142,690 | $124,201 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 292 | $19,500 | $41,398 | $61,100 | $53,072 |
| Biology, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 285 | $19,125 | $34,719 | $64,301 | $57,214 |
| Curriculum and InstructionOnlineMaster's | Master's | 267 | $24,500 | $59,948 | $65,713 | $63,399 |
| Special Education and TeachingOnlineMaster's | Master's | 252 | $23,695 | $61,996 | $72,192 | $64,397 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingOnlineBachelor's | Bachelor's | 206 | $13,000 | $78,365 | $89,878 | $88,910 |
| Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's | Bachelor's | 180 | $20,449 | $45,846 | $74,125 | $63,293 |
| Public HealthBachelor's | Bachelor's | 178 | $20,500 | $37,025 | $65,358 | $58,808 |
| LawProfessional | Professional | 160 | $65,077 | $77,057 | $135,661 | $107,773 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's | Master's | 145 | $38,186 | $112,723 | $134,691 | $103,485 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 140 | $21,125 | $31,941 | $54,703 | $41,688 |
| Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 139 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Homeland SecurityBachelor's | Bachelor's | 139 | $21,479 | $90,956 | $143,972 | $70,193 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 137 | $17,250 | $68,049 | $97,049 | $86,176 |
| Social WorkOnlineMaster's | Master's | 127 | $41,000 | $62,790 | $70,044 | $65,123 |
| International Relations and National Security StudiesOnlineBachelor's | Bachelor's | 120 | $20,117 | $44,644 | $69,399 | $66,596 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyMaster's | Master's | 116 | Withheld | Withheld | $75,619 | $65,184 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyGraduate certificate | Graduate certificate | 115 | $29,092 | $60,240 | $84,541 | $65,509 |
| International Relations and National Security StudiesMaster's | Master's | 110 | $34,250 | $73,385 | $100,525 | $95,627 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingOnlineMaster's | Master's | 106 | $41,000 | $105,346 | $119,531 | $120,193 |
In the area
- Jobs, pay and new homes: the county of Fairfax and Virginia on Local Economy
- More colleges: All colleges in Virginia
- Homes: Homes for sale in Virginia
Questions and answers
How much does George Mason University cost?
$17,915 a year is the average net price at George Mason University after grants and scholarships. Tuition and fees are $14,220 for in-state students and $38,688 for out-of-state students, and the full cost of attendance with housing, food and books is $28,604. Families earning under $30,000 pay $11,942 on average.
What is the acceptance rate at George Mason University?
87% of applicants are admitted to George Mason University. The average SAT score of admitted students is 1,274 and the middle ACT score is 28. The median admission rate of colleges in Virginia is 80%.
How much do George Mason University graduates earn?
$76,343 a year is the median pay of former George Mason University students who work, 10 years after they started ($60,536 after 6 years). That ranks 245 of 5,094 US colleges and 8 of 127 in Virginia. Its best-paid program one year after graduation is Homeland Security (Master's) at $138,835.
How much student debt do George Mason University graduates have?
$19,500 is the median federal student loan debt of George Mason University graduates, about $207 a month over 10 years. The median across US colleges is $13,271. 31% of undergraduates take out federal loans.
What is the graduation rate at George Mason University?
68% of first-time, full-time students at George Mason University finish within 6 years. 86% of first-year students come back for a second year. The median of public 4-year colleges is 46%.
What are the most popular majors at George Mason University?
Computer and Information Sciences, General (761 bachelor's graduates), Business/Commerce, General (645 bachelor's graduates), Psychology, General (383 bachelor's graduates) had the most graduates in the newest year, out of 268 programs.
Official public data, June 2026 release. Net price is for first-time, full-time students who get aid. Completion counts first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of the normal time. Debt and earnings are medians of students who received federal student aid, measured a few years after they left, in the dollars of the year measured; earnings count former students who work and are not enrolled, including those who did not finish.