GWU acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
George Washington University · Private nonprofit · Washington, DC · 11,387 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
GWU admitted 43.5% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 33.1% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $70,170 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 33.1% | 21,756 | 7,197 |
| 2014 | 43.8% | 19,069 | 8,351 |
| 2015 | 46.5% | 19,837 | 9,216 |
| 2016 | 40.2% | 25,488 | 10,249 |
| 2017 | 41.0% | 26,987 | 11,059 |
| 2018 | 41.9% | 26,512 | 11,101 |
| 2019 | 40.8% | 26,978 | 11,019 |
| 2020 | 43.0% | 26,405 | 11,366 |
| 2021 | 49.7% | 27,236 | 13,539 |
| 2022 | 49.0% | 27,266 | 13,354 |
| 2023 | 43.5% | 27,094 | 11,798 |
Applications went from 21,756 in fall 2013 to 27,094 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $19,440 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $17,768 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $21,338 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $28,010 |
| Over $110,000 | $52,577 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $70,170 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $87,253 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $35,760 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 30% submitted the SAT, 12% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar private colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| American University DC | 47.4% | $62,242 same for all |
| Howard University DC | 34.9% | $38,936 same for all |
| Georgetown DC | 13.1% | $71,338 same for all |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
GWU admitted 11,798 of 27,094 applicants for fall 2023, which is an admit rate of 43.5%.1 Unlike many colleges in this data, its rate has gone the other way since 2013, when it stood at 33.1%, a rise of 10.4 percentage points.1 Declines happened in 4 of the 10 yearly changes, so most years brought a higher rate than the year before.1 Applications grew 25% over the span, but admissions grew 64%, from 7,197 to 11,798.1
The test policy is test-optional, with SAT scores reported by 30% of enrolled students and ACT scores by 12%.1 Reported middle 50% ranges were 680 to 750 for SAT reading and writing, 670 to 750 for math and 31 to 34 for the ACT composite.1
As a private college it lists a single tuition and fees figure of $70,170 for 2025-26.2 The average net price in 2024-25 was $17,768 for families earning $30,001 to $48,000, $28,010 for the $75,001 to $110,000 band, and $52,577 above that.2
Students who entered in 2019 graduated at a rate of 83% within 6 years, against a median of 74% across 8 bachelor's colleges in the District of Columbia.2 Retention after the first year was 92% for fall 2023 entrants.2 Former students earned a median of $96,691 in 2022-23, and the median debt of graduates who borrowed was $19,857.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 27,094 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 11,798 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 2,539 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 11,387 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 680 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 750 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 670 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 750 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 31 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 34 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 30% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 12% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $70,170 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $87,253 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $35,760 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $19,440 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $17,768 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $21,338 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $28,010 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $52,577 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 83% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 92% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 20% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $96,691 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $19,857 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, District of Columbia (N = 8) | 74% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with GWU, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page