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

College of William and Mary is a public institution located in Williamsburg, Virginia with a selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, College of William and 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 College of William and Mary?

89% of enrolled students at College of William and 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 College of William and Mary weight in admissions?

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

SAT and ACT scores College of William and 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 College of William and 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 — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 12% of students receive Pell Grants.

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

Will my child graduate from College of William and Mary?

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

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 Business Administration, Management and Operations, Biology, General and Psychology, General. Across all programs, College of William and 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 College of William and Mary safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), College of William and 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 College of William and Mary?

About 65% of undergraduates at College of William and 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 College of William and Mary