Washington and Lee: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

Washington and Lee is a private institution located in Lexington, Virginia and one of the highly selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Washington and Lee admits between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 14%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1480 and an ACT composite around 34. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $23,781 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for Washington and Lee?

Most admitted students at Washington and Lee present unweighted GPAs in the 3.85–4.0 range with five or more AP or honors courses across high school.

What does Washington and Lee weight in admissions?

Washington and Lee reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). What the weights mean

SAT and ACT scores Washington and Lee typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 720–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 725. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 33–34. 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 Washington and Lee actually cost?

Published tuition is $68,045 for in-state students and $68,045 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $18,685 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $23,781 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 11% of students receive Pell Grants.

Application deadlines and early decision data for Washington and Lee

Will my child graduate from Washington and Lee?

These predict outcomes at Washington and Lee better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates

Most popular majors at Washington and Lee

The most popular undergraduate programs at Washington and Lee, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Economics and Political Science and Government. Across all programs, Washington and Lee confers roughly 373 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Business Administration, Management and Operations program report a median income of about $109,628 five years after entering college. What these figures mean

Is Washington and Lee safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Washington and Lee disclosed 9 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 4.8 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 7 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

What is campus life like at Washington and Lee?

About 74% of undergraduates at Washington and Lee live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. In Greek life, 67% of men join a fraternity and 72% of women join a sorority. 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

• University of Richmond
  22% acceptance
• Liberty University
  99% acceptance
• Longwood University
  90% acceptance
• Radford University
  90% acceptance
• Christopher Newport University
  86% acceptance
• University of Virginia-Main Campus
  17% acceptance
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  55% acceptance
• College of William and Mary
  34% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about Washington and Lee