College of William and Mary: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

College of William and Mary is a public institution located in Petersburg, Virginia. For the most recent reporting cycle, College of William and Mary admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 89%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 917 and an ACT composite around 18. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $14,553 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether College of William and Mary is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.

What GPA does my child need for College of William and Mary?

College of William and Mary has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.

SAT and ACT scores College of William and Mary typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 380–510, with an EBRW midpoint near 480. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 14–20. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.

How much does College of William and Mary actually cost?

Published tuition is $9,755 for in-state students and $22,006 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $12,966 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $14,553 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 71% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.

Application deadlines and early decision data for College of William and Mary

Most popular majors at College of William and Mary

The most popular undergraduate programs at College of William and Mary, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Criminal Justice and Corrections, Psychology, General and Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. Across all programs, College of William and Mary confers roughly 366 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Criminal Justice and Corrections program report a median income of about $46,108 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.

Is College of William and Mary safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), College of William and Mary disclosed 30 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 5.9 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 10 violent offenses and 15 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.

Other colleges in Virginia parents ask about

• University of Virginia-Main Campus
  17% acceptance
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  93% acceptance
• James Madison University
  86% acceptance
• Old Dominion University
  82% acceptance
• George Mason University
  91% acceptance
• Virginia Commonwealth University
  17% acceptance
• Washington and Lee University
  90% acceptance
• University of Richmond
  94% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about College of William and Mary