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

William & Mary is a public institution located in Williamsburg, Virginia with a selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, William & Mary admits between a quarter and half of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 37%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1450 and an ACT composite around 33. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $19,096 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for William & Mary?

89% of enrolled students at William & Mary had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, and the average was 4.34, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.

What does William & Mary weight in admissions?

William & Mary reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean

SAT and ACT scores William & Mary typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 690–770, with an EBRW midpoint near 720. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 32–34. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

How much does William & Mary actually cost?

Published tuition is $25,914 for in-state students and $51,038 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $16,182 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $19,096 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 12% of students receive Pell Grants.

Application deadlines and early decision data for William & Mary

Will my child graduate from William & Mary?

These predict outcomes at William & Mary better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates

Most popular majors at William & Mary

The most popular undergraduate programs at William & Mary, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Biology, General and Psychology, General. Across all programs, William & Mary confers roughly 1,140 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Business Administration, Management and Operations program report a median income of about $103,576 five years after entering college. What these figures mean

Is William & Mary safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), William & Mary disclosed 21 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 3.0 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 1 violent offenses and 14 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

What is campus life like at William & Mary?

About 65% of undergraduates at William & Mary live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.

Other colleges in Virginia parents ask about

• James Madison University
  72% acceptance
• Old Dominion University
  90% acceptance
• George Mason University
  87% acceptance
• Virginia Commonwealth University
  93% acceptance
• Washington and Lee University
  14% acceptance
• University of Richmond
  22% acceptance
• Liberty University
  99% acceptance
• Longwood University
  90% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about William & Mary