Mason: the complete school report for parents
Mason puts the most weight on course rigor and GPA. The academic record does most of the work. It does not consider legacy, demonstrated interest and the interview, so campus visits and emails will not move the decision. With an 86.5% admit rate and 69% of enrolled students at a 3.50 GPA or above, the transcript is the entry ticket and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Major matters more than the name on the diploma here: five years out, Systems Engineering graduates earn a median $120,847 against $45,617 for Anthropology.
Mason is officially George Mason University. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.
What does Mason actually weigh in admissions?
Mason rates 2 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA. It does not consider 6 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Mason's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How Mason rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Considered |
| the essay | Considered |
| extracurricular activities | Considered |
| recommendations | Considered |
| personal qualities | Considered |
| talent | Important |
| class rank | Not Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Not Considered |
| the interview | Not Considered |
| legacy | Not Considered |
| first-generation status | Not Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does Mason consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does Mason consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Mason consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Mason consider the application essay?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Mason consider extracurricular activities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Mason consider recommendation letters?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Mason consider character and personal qualities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Mason consider a special talent or ability?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Mason consider class rank?
No. Mason does not consider it. A school that does not rank its students is not a disadvantage.
Does Mason consider demonstrated interest?
No. Mason does not consider it. Campus visits, emails and info sessions do not move the decision.
Does Mason consider an interview?
No. Mason does not consider it. There is no interview to prepare for.
Does Mason consider legacy status?
No. Mason does not consider it. A parent or grandparent who attended gives no advantage.
Does Mason consider being first-generation?
No. Mason does not consider it.
Does Mason consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Mason consider state residency?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Mason consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Mason consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Mason consider religious affiliation?
No. Mason does not consider it.
What GPA do admitted students actually have?
69% of enrolled students had a 3.50 GPA or above. The average was 3.66 on a 4 scale, reported for 99.7% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.
| High school GPA | Share of enrolled students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 24.7% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 21.7% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 22.8% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 19.9% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 10.1% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0.8% |
| 2.00–2.49 | 0% |
What is the Mason waitlist really like?
Mason offered a place on its waiting list to 1,289 applicants and 873 accepted one. 415 were ultimately admitted. That is 47.5% of those who waited.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
Mason admitted 83.0% of 5,185 transfer applicants, against 86.5% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
Mason reports its early rounds below.
| Regular application deadline | August 24 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | Not reported |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | No |
| Early Action offered | Yes |
| Early Action deadline | November 1 |
| Application fee | $70 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What does my child need to take in high school?
Mason requires 17 academic units and recommends 23. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.
| Subject | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 years | 4 years |
| Mathematics | 3 years | 4 years |
| Science | 2 years | 3 years |
| of which lab science | 2 years | Not stated |
| Foreign language | 2 years | 3 years |
What will Mason actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $17,915 a year at Mason after grants and scholarships. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 67.4% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 850 merit awards averaging $9,376 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
What families at each income level actually paid:
| Family income | Average net price per year |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $11,942 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $12,093 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $15,224 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $19,430 |
| Over $110,000 | $25,894 |
45% of Mason graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $30,007 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $207 a month in repayment. Mason’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from Mason pay off?
Graduates earn a median $76,343 ten years after entering, and $60,536 at six years. 85% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 73% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:
| Family income | Four-year net cost | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $47,768 | 1.5 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $48,372 | 1.5 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $60,896 | 1.9 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $77,720 | 2.4 |
| Over $110,000 | $103,576 | 3.2 |
A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.
$120,847 to $45,617, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Mason:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Systems Engineering | $120,847 | 25 |
| Computer Science | $116,307 | 22 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $111,615 | 757 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $98,097 | 371 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $97,027 | 120 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $92,732 | 182 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $89,074 | 222 |
| Marketing | $76,137 | 119 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $74,937 | 166 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $51,160 | 106 |
| Music | $46,718 | 42 |
| Anthropology | $45,617 | 23 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
86% of first-years return for a second year. 46% graduate within four years and 66% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 62.9% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 68.7% of everyone else, a gap of 5.9 points.
How big are the classes?
33% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 3% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 16:1, and 53% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
What is life at Mason like?
28,862 undergraduates, 14% of first-years from out of state. 44% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 18% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 3% of men join a fraternity and 3% of women a sorority. 30% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $95,275.
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten. Mason recommends 23 academic units.
- 69% of enrolled students are at a 3.50 GPA or above, averaging 3.66. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
- Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
- The waitlist is live but thin: 415 of 873 who waited were admitted, about 48%.
- Its highest-earning major returns $120,847 five years out against $45,617 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about Mason
What GPA do you need for Mason?
69% of enrolled students at Mason had a high school GPA of 3.50 or above, and the average was 3.66, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
Does the Mason waitlist move?
873 students accepted a place on the Mason waiting list and 415 were admitted in the 2025-2026 cycle.
What do Mason graduates earn?
Mason graduates earn a median $76,343 ten years after entering, and 85% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with Mason
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: Mason’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.