George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia · Public, a large suburb · 27,752 undergraduates
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Is it hard to get into Mason?
The middle half of admitted students scored in these ranges: a quarter scored lower, a quarter higher. Fall 2024 admissions, from the College Scorecard.
Acceptance rate
87.5%
22,579 applied
SAT, middle half
1160 to 1360
Reading plus math, out of 1600
ACT, middle half
25 to 30
Composite, out of 36
Test scores this year
Optional: considered if sent
22% of admitted students enrolled
- What they look at
- High school GPARequired
- Courses takenRequired
- College-prep programRequired
- RecommendationsConsidered
- EssayConsidered
- PortfolioConsidered
How much does Mason cost?
Sticker prices and what students actually paid after grants, by family income. A year means tuition, fees, room, board, books and other costs.
Tuition and fees, Virginia residents
$14,316
Tuition and fees, out of state
$39,312
A full year, sticker price
$26,910
Living on campus
Average price after grants
$14,697
Students who got federal aid
What a year cost, by family income
| Family income | Average paid after grants |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $9,594 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $9,467 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $11,341 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $16,147 |
| Over $110,000 | $23,862 |
- Room and board on campus
- $16,156 a year; $17,772 off campus
- Books and supplies
- $1,290 a year
- The school's own grants
- 59% of full-time first-years get one, averaging $7,603
Tuition over the years
Tuition and fees for a year, as reported to the federal government.
How much do Mason students borrow?
Federal student loans only, for students who borrowed.
Typical debt at graduation
$18,500
About $210 a month over ten years
Students who borrow
29.3%
Get a Pell Grant
34.5%
Federal grant for lower-income families
Over 25 when they start
16.7%
What do Mason graduates earn?
Typical yearly pay of everyone who started here with federal aid, whatever they studied and whether or not they finished.
Six years after starting
$64,977
Ten years after starting
$79,923
Middle half: $52,983 to $116,304
Best-paid program, five years out
$125,771
Computer Science
Lowest-paid program, five years out
$30,000
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Do Mason students finish?
Of the students who started full time, first time.
Back for second year
86%
Graduate in six years
66.5%
The four-year figure is for a later, smaller group, so it is not shown
After eight years
75% graduated
15% transferred, 1% still enrolled
Who goes to Mason?
Women
48.8%
First in their family at college
30%
Part-time
19%
Students per teacher
16
- Background
- White 32%, Hispanic 18%, Black 13%, Asian 23%, Two or more 6%, International 5%
- Housing
- Campus housing, 6,251 beds
What do Mason graduates earn, by program?
Every bachelor's program the school awards, with what its graduates earn and owe. The government hides pay for small programs, so some rows have no figure.
Computer science
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 1,523 | $81,874 | $121,358 | $19,500 |
| Computer Science | 57 | $84,847 | $125,771 | $21,500 |
Engineering
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 74 | $78,033 | $97,738 | $22,000 |
| Civil Engineering | 143 | $77,783 | $94,784 | $15,581 |
| Computer Engineering | 77 | $82,767 | Hidden | $20,500 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 102 | $88,706 | $117,040 | $20,851 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 176 | $80,915 | $98,380 | $20,000 |
| Systems Engineering | 33 | $78,298 | $117,417 | Hidden |
Business and commerce
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 149 | $68,436 | $96,939 | $24,836 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 151 | $57,701 | $86,380 | $19,875 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 1,619 | $65,513 | Hidden | $16,072 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 82 | $65,183 | $100,994 | $19,079 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 56 | $53,390 | $73,289 | $17,375 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 171 | $68,373 | $105,170 | $24,000 |
| Marketing | 81 | $55,412 | $84,043 | $23,000 |
Nursing
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 411 | $83,303 | $93,858 | $12,500 |
Health sciences and kinesiology
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 0 | Hidden | $66,181 | Hidden |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | 24 | $81,772 | Hidden | Hidden |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | 181 | $50,359 | $70,371 | $18,000 |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | 21 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Public Health | 335 | $42,516 | $70,021 | $18,337 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 2 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 179 | $39,374 | $64,538 | $18,875 |
Life sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology, General | 557 | $38,618 | $68,013 | $20,500 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 75 | $44,711 | $63,831 | $25,000 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 151 | $29,162 | $79,441 | $20,500 |
Math and physical sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 1 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | 8 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Chemistry | 52 | $57,323 | $76,610 | $21,500 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 28 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Mathematics | 77 | $52,211 | $73,622 | $18,500 |
| Physics | 32 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Statistics | 28 | $68,560 | Hidden | Hidden |
Arts and humanities
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language and Literature, General | 143 | $30,017 | $55,925 | $18,404 |
| History | 153 | $35,283 | $51,766 | $17,313 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 57 | $41,631 | $62,457 | $18,875 |
| Philosophy | 22 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 5 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 39 | Hidden | $69,737 | $15,713 |
Education (teaching)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special Education and Teaching | 31 | Hidden | Hidden | $19,678 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 136 | Hidden | Hidden | $12,252 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 60 | $35,573 | $64,151 | $23,250 |
Fine and performing arts
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dance | 32 | $23,487 | Hidden | Hidden |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 67 | $29,817 | $30,000 | $25,000 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 81 | $31,212 | $57,141 | $19,500 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 19 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Graphic Communications | 157 | $25,837 | $53,047 | $23,125 |
| Music | 98 | $44,344 | $54,916 | $25,125 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 278 | $32,948 | $60,125 | $18,000 |
General arts and science (major chosen later)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 675 | $49,718 | $63,361 | $16,948 |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | 115 | $77,211 | Hidden | $21,250 |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | 99 | $46,347 | $63,973 | $27,000 |
| Sustainability Studies | 59 | $47,306 | $62,674 | $17,375 |
Other programs
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | 20 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Compare Mason with other universities
Side by side: acceptance rates, scores, costs and pay.
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Test policy: the school's page (opens in a new tab). Tuition history, housing and the school's own grants: the federal IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) survey.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with George Mason University. Figures describe past students; check the school's own pages before you apply.
Social sciences