George Mason University
Fairfax, VA · Public four-year · Suburb: Large
27,666undergraduates
87%admitted
Test-optionalSAT/ACT
$18,900average net price per year
69%graduate in 6 years
87%return for year two
Admissions
- Applicants
- 22,579
- Admitted
- 20,057
- Admit rate
- 87%
- Admit rate, women
- 90%
- Admit rate, men
- 87%
- Admitted students who enroll
- 22%
- First-year students
- 4,451
- SAT/ACT
- Test-optional
- Students who sent SAT scores
- 35%
- SAT reading and writing (middle 50%)
- 580-670
- SAT math (middle 50%)
- 560-670
- Students who sent ACT scores
- 3%
- ACT composite (middle 50%)
- 25-30
| High school GPA | Required |
|---|---|
| High school record | Required |
| College-prep coursework | Required |
| SAT or ACT scores | Considered, not required |
| Recommendations | Considered, not required |
| Essay or personal statement | Considered, not required |
| Class rank | Not considered |
| Demonstrated competencies | Considered, not required |
| English proficiency test | Required |
| Work experience | Considered, not required |
| Legacy status | Not considered |
Majors
73 undergraduate programs that awarded a degree or certificate last year, grouped by field. Numbers are how many were awarded.
Business, management, marketing, and related support services (7)
- Accounting Bachelor's (43 awarded)
- Business Administration and Management, General Bachelor's (47 awarded)
- Business/Commerce, General Bachelor's (972 awarded)
- Finance, General Bachelor's (22 awarded)
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other Bachelor's (34 awarded)
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General Bachelor's (23 awarded)
- Tourism and Travel Services Management Bachelor's (22 awarded)
Computer and information sciences and support services (3)
- Computer and Information Sciences, General Bachelor's (346 awarded)
- Computer Science Bachelor's (32 awarded)
- Information Technology Bachelor's (416 awarded)
Homeland security, law enforcement, firefighting and related protective services (3)
- Criminal Justice/Police Science Bachelor's (328 awarded)
- Critical Infrastructure Protection Bachelor's (114 awarded)
- Forensic Science and Technology Bachelor's (46 awarded)
Health professions and related programs (5)
- Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist Bachelor's (14 awarded)
- Community Health and Preventive Medicine Bachelor's (157 awarded)
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other Bachelor's (93 awarded)
- Medical Informatics Bachelor's (13 awarded)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse Bachelor's (205 awarded)
Social sciences (6)
- Anthropology, General Bachelor's (24 awarded)
- Economics, General Bachelor's (76 awarded)
- Geography Bachelor's (12 awarded)
- International Relations and Affairs Bachelor's (120 awarded)
- Political Science and Government, Other Bachelor's (143 awarded)
- Sociology, General Bachelor's (34 awarded)
Liberal arts and sciences, general studies and humanities (3)
- General Studies Bachelor's (136 awarded)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other Bachelor's (146 awarded)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies Bachelor's (101 awarded)
Psychology (1)
- Psychology, General Bachelor's (348 awarded)
Biological and biomedical sciences (2)
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General Bachelor's (266 awarded)
- Neuroscience Bachelor's (70 awarded)
Engineering (6)
- Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering Bachelor's (38 awarded)
- Civil Engineering, General Bachelor's (63 awarded)
- Computer Engineering, General Bachelor's (44 awarded)
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering Bachelor's (58 awarded)
- Mechanical Engineering Bachelor's (87 awarded)
- Systems Engineering Bachelor's (17 awarded)
Visual and performing arts (6)
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation Bachelor's (11 awarded)
- Cinematography and Film/Video Production Bachelor's (45 awarded)
- Dance, General Bachelor's (17 awarded)
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General Bachelor's (33 awarded)
- Music Performance, General Bachelor's (35 awarded)
- Visual and Performing Arts, General Bachelor's (138 awarded)
Multi/interdisciplinary studies (3)
- Mathematics and Computer Science Bachelor's (65 awarded)
- Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution Bachelor's (45 awarded)
- Sustainability Studies Bachelor's (34 awarded)
Education (5)
- Early Childhood Education and Teaching Bachelor's (39 awarded)
- Elementary Education and Teaching Bachelor's (41 awarded)
- Health Teacher Education Bachelor's (7 awarded)
- Physical Education Teaching and Coaching Bachelor's (12 awarded)
- Special Education and Teaching, General Bachelor's (16 awarded)
Communication, journalism, and related programs (1)
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric Bachelor's (105 awarded)
Parks, recreation, leisure, fitness, and kinesiology (3)
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology Bachelor's (71 awarded)
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General Bachelor's (13 awarded)
- Sport and Fitness Administration/Management Bachelor's (17 awarded)
Public administration and social service professions (2)
- Public Administration Bachelor's (36 awarded)
- Social Work Bachelor's (50 awarded)
English language and literature/letters (2)
- Creative Writing Bachelor's (13 awarded)
- English Language and Literature, General Bachelor's (68 awarded)
Communications technologies/technicians and support services (1)
- Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects Bachelor's (77 awarded)
History (1)
- History, General Bachelor's (76 awarded)
Physical sciences (5)
- Astronomy Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General Bachelor's (4 awarded)
- Chemistry, General Bachelor's (25 awarded)
- Geology/Earth Science, General Bachelor's (11 awarded)
- Physics, General Bachelor's (19 awarded)
Mathematics and statistics (2)
- Mathematics, General Bachelor's (34 awarded)
- Statistics, General Bachelor's (9 awarded)
Natural resources and conservation (1)
- Environmental Science Bachelor's (36 awarded)
Foreign languages, literatures, and linguistics (1)
- Foreign Languages and Literatures, General Bachelor's (21 awarded)
Family and consumer sciences/human sciences (1)
- Human Development and Family Studies, General Bachelor's (10 awarded)
Philosophy and religious studies (2)
- Philosophy Bachelor's (6 awarded)
- Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor's (2 awarded)
Area, ethnic, cultural, gender, and group studies (1)
- Russian Studies Bachelor's (1 awarded)
Graduate programs (154)
- Computer and Information Sciences, General Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance Master's
- Computer Programming, Other Post-bachelor's certificate
- Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications Master's
- Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration Master's
- Information Science/Studies Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Information Technology Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching Post-bachelor's certificate
- Art Teacher Education Master's
- Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Curriculum and Instruction Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Drama and Dance Teacher Education Post-bachelor's certificate
- Early Childhood Education and Teaching Post-bachelor's certificate
- Education, General Doctorate (research)
- Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs Post-bachelor's certificate
- Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism Post-bachelor's certificate
- Education/Teaching of Individuals with Vision Impairments Including Blindness Post-bachelor's certificate
- Education/Teaching of the Gifted and Talented Post-bachelor's certificate
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Educational Statistics and Research Methods Post-bachelor's certificate
- Educational/Instructional Technology Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Master's
- Music Teacher Education Post-bachelor's certificate, Doctorate (research)
- Physical Education Teaching and Coaching Post-bachelor's certificate
- Reading Teacher Education Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education Post-bachelor's certificate
- Special Education and Teaching, General Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Accounting Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Accounting and Finance Post-bachelor's certificate
- Accounting and Related Services, Other Post-bachelor's certificate
- Auditing Post-bachelor's certificate
- Business Administration and Management, General Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Business/Commerce, General Master's
- Finance, General Master's
- International Business/Trade/Commerce Post-bachelor's certificate
- Management Information Systems, General Post-bachelor's certificate
- Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management Post-bachelor's certificate
- Organizational Behavior Studies Master's
- Project Management Master's
- Purchasing, Procurement/Acquisitions and Contracts Management Post-bachelor's certificate
- Real Estate Master's
- Athletic Training/Trainer Master's
- Clinical Nutrition/Nutritionist Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Health/Health Care Administration/Management Master's
- International Public Health/International Health Master's
- Medical Informatics Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Nursing Practice Doctorate (research)
- Nursing Science Doctorate (research)
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing Post-bachelor's certificate
- Public Health, General Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Public Health, Other Doctorate (research)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse Master's
- Banking, Corporate, Finance, and Securities Law Master's
- Intellectual Property Law Master's
- Law Doctorate (professional)
- Legal Professions and Studies, Other Master's
- Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies, Other Master's
- Programs for Foreign Lawyers Master's
- Education Policy Analysis Post-bachelor's certificate
- Health Policy Analysis Master's
- Public Administration Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other Post-bachelor's certificate
- Public Policy Analysis, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Social Work Master's
- Biological and Physical Sciences Doctorate (research)
- Business Analytics Post-bachelor's certificate
- Computational Science Post-bachelor's certificate
- Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis Post-bachelor's certificate
- Data Analytics, General Post-bachelor's certificate
- Holocaust and Related Studies Post-bachelor's certificate
- International/Globalization Studies Master's
- Mathematics and Computer Science Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Master's
- Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Science, Technology and Society Post-bachelor's certificate, Doctorate (research)
- Anthropology, General Master's
- Economics, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Economics, Other Post-bachelor's certificate
- Geographic Information Science and Cartography Master's
- Geography Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- International Relations and Affairs Master's
- International Relations and National Security Studies, Other Master's
- National Security Policy Studies Post-bachelor's certificate
- Political Science and Government, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Sociology, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Applied Behavior Analysis Post-bachelor's certificate
- Applied Psychology Post-bachelor's certificate
- Educational Psychology Master's
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology Master's
- Psychology, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- School Psychology Post-bachelor's certificate
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General Post-bachelor's certificate
- Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Civil Engineering, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Computer Engineering, General Master's
- Computer Software Engineering Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Industrial Engineering Master's
- Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Post-bachelor's certificate
- Systems Engineering Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Telecommunications Engineering Post-bachelor's certificate
- Biochemistry Doctorate (research)
- Bioinformatics Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Biomedical Sciences, General Post-bachelor's certificate
- Biometry/Biometrics Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Biostatistics Master's
- Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology Post-bachelor's certificate
- Conservation Biology Post-bachelor's certificate
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology, Other Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Neuroscience Doctorate (research)
- Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies Master's
- Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management Post-bachelor's certificate
- Critical Infrastructure Protection Master's
- Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Forensic Science and Technology Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Terrorism and Counterterrorism Operations Post-bachelor's certificate
- Creative Writing Master's
- English Literature (British and Commonwealth) Master's
- Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing Post-bachelor's certificate
- Rhetoric and Composition Doctorate (research)
- History, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- History, Other Post-bachelor's certificate
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation Master's
- Art/Art Studies, General Post-bachelor's certificate
- Fine and Studio Arts Management Master's
- Music, General Master's
- Music, Other Doctorate (research)
- Visual and Performing Arts, General Master's
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Chemistry, General Master's
- Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other Doctorate (research)
- Geology/Earth Science, General Master's
- Physics, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Health Communication Doctorate (research)
- Publishing Post-bachelor's certificate
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric Master's
- Technical and Scientific Communication Post-bachelor's certificate
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology Master's
- Sport and Fitness Administration/Management Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Environmental Science Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Mathematics, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Statistics, General Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Foreign Languages and Literatures, General Master's
- Hispanic and Latin American Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General Post-bachelor's certificate
- Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services, Other Post-bachelor's certificate
- Linguistics Doctorate (research)
- Humanities/Humanistic Studies Doctorate (research)
- Developmental Services Worker Post-bachelor's certificate
- Near and Middle Eastern Studies Master's
- Women's Studies Post-bachelor's certificate
- Philosophy Master's
- Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects Master's
Cost and aid
- Tuition and fees, in-state
- $13,815
- Tuition and fees, out-of-state
- $39,397
- Housing and food on campus
- $15,151
- Books and supplies
- $1,278
- Other on-campus costs
- $3,504
- Total cost on campus, in-state
- $33,748
- Total cost on campus, out-of-state
- $59,330
- Total cost living at home
- $19,769
Published prices for 2023-24.
| Family income | Per year |
|---|---|
| $0-30,000 | $12,197 |
| $30,001-48,000 | $13,383 |
| $48,001-75,000 | $16,296 |
| $75,001-110,000 | $20,394 |
| Over $110,000 | $25,247 |
Net price is the full cost minus grants and scholarships, for full-time first-year students who got aid in 2022-23 and paid in-state tuition.
- First-year students who got any aid
- 80%
- Got grants or scholarships
- 72%
- Average grant or scholarship
- $11,311
- Got a grant from the college
- 59%
- Average grant from the college
- $7,603
- Undergraduates with a Pell grant
- 30%
- First-year students who borrowed
- 41%
- Average amount borrowed
- $7,907
Graduation
- Bachelor's in 4 years
- 48%
- Bachelor's in 5 years
- 64%
- Bachelor's in 6 years
- 69%
- Bachelor's in 8 years
- 73%
- Any degree in 6 years (all students)
- 69%
- Transferred to another college
- 16%
- Came back for year two
- 87%
| Pell grant students | 67% |
|---|---|
| Subsidized loan, no Pell | 67% |
| Neither | 72% |
| Group | Students | Graduated |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 1,753 | 74% |
| Men | 1,686 | 65% |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 2 | 0% (small group) |
| Asian | 685 | 76% |
| Black | 444 | 63% |
| Hispanic | 398 | 63% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 1 | 0% (small group) |
| White | 1,463 | 70% |
| Two or more races | 189 | 64% |
| Race unknown | 147 | 69% |
| International | 110 | 74% |
| Started | Students | Earned a degree or certificate here | Enrolled at another college |
|---|---|---|---|
| Started here, full-time | 3,196 | 73% | 17% |
| Started here, part-time | 30 | 47% | 10% |
| Transferred in, full-time | 2,745 | 84% | 10% |
| Transferred in, part-time | 1,016 | 64% | 19% |
Graduation rates follow students who started full-time for the first time in fall 2017. Groups under 20 students are marked because a few students change the rate a lot.
Students
- Total students
- 39,527
- Undergraduates
- 27,666
- Full-time undergraduates
- 22,115
- Part-time undergraduates
- 5,551
- Graduate students
- 11,861
- Students per faculty member
- 16 to 1
- First-year students from in state
- 77%
- From out of state
- 16%
- From other countries
- 3%
- Undergraduates age 25 and up
- 17%
- Undergraduates taking all classes online
- 14%
- Undergraduates registered with disability services
- 7%
| Women | 49% |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0% |
| Asian | 23% |
| Black | 12% |
| Hispanic | 17% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0% |
| White | 33% |
| Two or more races | 6% |
| Race unknown | 3% |
| International | 5% |
Campus life
- Setting
- Suburb: Large
- Address
- 4400 University Dr, Fairfax, VA, 22030-4444
- County
- Fairfax County
- Type
- Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity
- Highest degree
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship and professional practice
- Academic calendar
- Semester
- Athletics
- NCAA
- Teams include
- basketball, baseball, cross country and track
- Offers
- Army ROTC, Air Force ROTC, Study abroad, Undergraduate research, Teacher certification, Weekend or evening classes, Online programs, Credit for AP exams, On-campus child care, Yellow Ribbon (veterans)
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2022-23 to 2024-25 surveys), and the College Scorecard.