George Mason University
#1 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Virginia- Graduation Rate
- 69% B-
- Solid completion rate — most students graduate
- Earnings (10yr)
- $76,343 A
- Top 5% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $17,915 C
- Close to the national average
- Acceptance Rate
- 87% D+
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A B overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 28.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $28.7 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Virginia.
Every $1 spent returns $28.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,988,311.
What The Data Says
-
A B overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
-
Graduates earn 87% more than the national college median.
-
A top feeder school for 1 major employer.
-
Social mobility rate of 3.09% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
-
Every $1 invested returns $28.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 0.3%
- Top 67%
- Patents
- 23
- Linked to graduates
- World Rank
- #301-350
- Times Higher Education
- Employer Pipelines
- 1
- Top feeder programs
- Patent Citations
- 26
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 18/100
- Times Higher Education
Why George Mason University Matters
George Mason University is a public research university in Fairfax, VA ranked #301-350 in the world by Times Higher Education, and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a top-tier research enterprise, a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network, and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 5% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R1 · Very High Research
- Enrollment
- 27,752
- Setting
- Suburban
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Criminal Justice, Social Sciences
Why students choose George Mason University
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Accessible — admits about 87% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1160–1360. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $17,915 a year after grants and scholarships — 5% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $76,343 ten years after enrolling — 87% above the typical college, against $19,500 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 3.1% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 9% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.75 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of over 27,000 students, George Mason University is a solid choice for those looking for a diverse and accessible educational environment. The school has an acceptance rate of 87%, making it a fitting option for students who want to further their education without the pressure of highly competitive admissions. Popular areas of study include Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Criminal Justice, Health Professions, and Social Sciences, catering to a wide range of interests and career aspirations.
Looking at life after graduation, the average earnings for alumni 10 years out is $76,343. That’s a good benchmark for understanding potential financial outcomes. While the graduation rate sits at 69%, many graduates find themselves on solid career paths, especially in fields like health and technology. Affordability plays a role here too, with a net price of about $17,915 after aid, which can help keep student debt manageable.
When it comes to financial responsibility, students at George Mason typically graduate with a median debt of $19,500, which is relatively low compared to national averages. This balance of cost and potential earnings suggests that those who thrive here are often motivated, career-oriented individuals focused on practical degrees. With its supportive community and strong academic programs, George Mason University positions students well for a successful future.
Rankings
- #1 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Virginia
- #2 Best Computer Science Colleges in Virginia
- #2 Best Data Science Colleges in Virginia
- #3 Best Social Mobility Colleges for Criminal Justice
- #4 Best Engineering Colleges in Virginia
- #4 Best MBA Programs in Virginia
- #5 Best Online Colleges in Virginia
- #5 Best Business Colleges in Virginia
Can I Get In?
How selective George Mason University is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into George Mason University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
George Mason University, located in Fairfax, Virginia, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 87%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,274. The graduation rate is roughly 69%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 87%
- Retention Rate
- 86%
- SAT Average
- 1274
- ACT Midpoint
- 28
- SAT Range
- 1160–1360
- ACT Range
- 25–30
- Full-Time Faculty
- 53%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $14,486
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 16:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.79
- First-Gen Students
- 30%
- Applicants
- 20,001
- Admitted
- 18,001
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25
The acceptance rate tells you how hard George Mason University is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 20% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school most admitted students ultimately pass on.
- Yield Rate
- 20%
- of admits enroll
- Submitted SAT
- 19%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Submitted ACT
- 2%
- of enrolled freshmen
Test-optional, in practice. Only about 21% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive here, not a long shot.
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend George Mason University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at George Mason University is $38,688, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $17,915. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $11,942 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $19,500 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $14,220
- Out-of-State
- $38,688
- Avg Net Price
- $17,915
- Median Debt
- $19,500
- Pell Grant Rate
- 30%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 31%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $11,942
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $12,093
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $15,224
- Family Income $110K+
- $25,894
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at George Mason University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is George Mason University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of George Mason University earn a median of $76,343, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $60,536
- 8 Years
- $68,053
- 10 Years
- $76,343
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.26x
- Earning > $25K
- 77%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (1,474)
- 48%
- 100% (1,474)
- 48%
- 100% (1,474)
- 48%
- 100% (1,474)
- 48%
Where Grads Go
George Mason University is a top feeder for:
Rank among programs feeding each employer.
Top employers of George Mason University’s MBA graduates, by hires reported in the school’s employment report.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS) ✓ VerifiedTechnology · Class of 2025
- BDO ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- Booz Allen Hamilton Inc ✓ VerifiedConsulting · Class of 2025
- CACI ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- CGI ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- CapitalOne ✓ VerifiedFinance & banking · Class of 2025
- Deloitte ✓ VerifiedConsulting · Class of 2025
- Fairfax County ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- MedStar Washington Hospital Center ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
How George Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is George Mason University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, George Mason University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $17,915/year ($71,660 total). Graduates earn $76,343 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,059,971 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,988,311 (28.7× your investment). The median debt is $19,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 69% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $71,660
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $2,059,971
- Net Return
- $1,988,311
- ROI Multiple
- 28.7×
- Cost Per Year
- $17,915
- Median Debt
- $19,500
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 69%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does George Mason University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
George Mason University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.09%, among the highest in the country. About 6.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 50.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $107,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 3.09%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 50.3%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 6.1%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $146,055
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
George Mason University produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 23 patents tied to its graduates, and ranks among research universities with a 18/100 research score.
- Inventor Rate
- 0.27%
- Top 67% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 23
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 26
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 18/100
- Times Higher Ed
- Academic Influence
- 43/100
- Citation impact (THE)
- Industry Engagement
- 25/100
- Knowledge transfer (THE)
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 0.31%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-310,116
Top Programs
The fields George Mason University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Business & Marketing 18% $75,367 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 15% $93,087 early-career
- Criminal Justice 8% $51,262 early-career
- Social Sciences 7% $61,685 early-career
- Health Professions 7% $76,487 early-career
- Psychology 6% $38,671 early-career
- Humanities 6% $47,206 early-career
- Engineering 6% $88,611 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for George Mason University's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into George Mason University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
George Mason University, located in Fairfax, Virginia, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 87%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,274. The graduation rate is roughly 69%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend George Mason University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at George Mason University is $38,688, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $17,915. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $11,942 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $19,500 in federal student loans.
Is George Mason University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of George Mason University earn a median of $76,343, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
Does George Mason University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
George Mason University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.09%, among the highest in the country. About 6.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 50.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $107,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is George Mason University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at George Mason University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.75, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
How Research-Intensive Is George Mason University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places George Mason University at #301-350 worldwide. Its profile spans a research score of 18/100, teaching at 29/100, and citation impact of 43/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
Does George Mason University offer Early Decision?
No. George Mason University does not report a binding Early Decision plan (2024-25 Common Data Set).
Is George Mason University really test-optional?
In practice, yes. Only about 21% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at George Mason University (2024-25 Common Data Set).
What percentage of admitted students enroll at George Mason University?
About 20% of admitted students choose to enroll at George Mason University — its yield rate (2024-25 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.
Compare George Mason University
- vs Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- vs Stanford University
- vs Babson College
- vs Bentley University
- vs Carnegie Mellon University
- vs Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
- vs University of Pennsylvania
- vs Princeton University
- vs Cornell University
- vs Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
- vs Santa Clara University
- vs Western Governors University
- vs Stevens Institute of Technology
- vs Boston College
- vs Georgetown University
- vs Columbia University in the City of New York
- vs Lehigh University
- vs Harvard University
- vs University of Notre Dame
- vs Yale University
- vs Villanova University
- vs University of Southern California
- vs Southern New Hampshire University
- vs Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Show all 99 comparisons →
- vs Duke University
- vs University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- vs Dartmouth College
- vs Northeastern University
- vs Texas A&M University-College Station
- vs Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
- vs Brown University
- vs University of Maryland-College Park
- vs Colorado School of Mines
- vs University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- vs University of Virginia-Main Campus
- vs University of Chicago
- vs Washington and Lee University
- vs New York University
- vs Vanderbilt University
- vs The University of Texas at Austin
- vs Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- vs Northwestern University
- vs University of California-Berkeley
- vs George Washington University
- vs Bucknell University
- vs Rice University
- vs Purdue University-Main Campus
- vs Boston University
- vs Lafayette College
- vs University of Wisconsin-Madison
- vs Johns Hopkins University
- vs Rutgers University-New Brunswick
- vs College of the Holy Cross
- vs Washington University in St Louis
- vs Williams College
- vs Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- vs Case Western Reserve University
- vs Trinity College
- vs University of Florida
- vs Brigham Young University
- vs Fairfield University
- vs Bryant University
- vs Providence College
- vs Fordham University
- vs Tufts University
- vs Drexel University
- vs Union College
- vs Colgate University
- vs University of San Francisco
- vs University of California-San Diego
- vs Wellesley College
- vs Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
- vs Clarkson University
- vs Binghamton University
- vs California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
- vs Bowdoin College
- vs Michigan State University
- vs University of California-Los Angeles
- vs Syracuse University
- vs University of Georgia
- vs Emory University
- vs University of Central Florida
- vs New Jersey Institute of Technology
- vs University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- vs Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
- vs University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- vs Barnard College
- vs Pepperdine University
- vs Quinnipiac University
- vs Davidson College
- vs Ohio State University-Main Campus
- vs Clemson University
- vs Swarthmore College
- vs University of Connecticut
- vs Colby College
- vs Loyola University Maryland
- vs University of Massachusetts-Amherst
- vs University of Portland
- vs Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to George Mason University.
- San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CA · Close peer67% grad $78,988 earn 85% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Iowa State UniversityAmes, IA · Close peer75% grad $63,386 earn 89% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- California State Polytechnic University-PomonaPomona, CA · Close peer68% grad $71,902 earn 75% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Colorado State University-Fort CollinsFort Collins, CO · Close peer67% grad $60,543 earn 89% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesMinneapolis, MN · Close peer85% grad $69,020 earn 80% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- University of UtahSalt Lake City, UT · Close peer64% grad $67,170 earn 86% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is George Mason University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at George Mason University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.75, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note