Fairfax, VA · Public · 27,752 undergraduates · suburban
George Mason University
Less selective
George Mason combines a large suburban Fairfax campus with specialized sites across Northern Virginia and a Core that deliberately revisits writing inside the major.
Institutional profile
Highly regarded Strong in mobility, and strong in career outcomes.- Admission
- 88.8% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 76.1%
22,579 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$76,343 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets George Mason University apart
Academic design
The Mason Core requires first-year composition, advanced composition, and an upper-level writing-intensive course within the major, creating a vertical writing sequence.
Campus pattern
Fairfax is the main undergraduate campus, while Mason Square in Arlington and the Science and Technology Campus in Manassas extend specialized study across Northern Virginia.
A signature opportunity
Writing instruction reappears at three stages of the degree instead of ending after a single first-year composition requirement.
Can I get in?
88.8% admitted
Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.
Recent applicant pool
22,579About 89 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 35% submitted an SAT, and 3% submitted an ACT. The ACT range comes from a small share of admitted students and does not describe the full class.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for George Mason University, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What George Mason University weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
The Mason Core requires first-year composition, advanced composition, and an upper-level writing-intensive course within the major, creating a vertical writing sequence.
Make institutional fit specific
George Mason combines a large suburban Fairfax campus with specialized sites across Northern Virginia and a Core that deliberately revisits writing inside the major.
Use the application route carefully
Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.
Fee waiver: accepted
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
Computer scienceAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Teacher preparationAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
EngineeringAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
NursingAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at George Mason University
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Admits separately
Business/Commerce, General
Admits separately
Psychology, General
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
What is campus life like?
George Mason University beyond the classroom
Fairfax is the main undergraduate campus, while Mason Square in Arlington and the Science and Technology Campus in Manassas extend specialized study across Northern Virginia.
A defining academic feature
The Mason Core requires first-year composition, advanced composition, and an upper-level writing-intensive course within the major, creating a vertical writing sequence.
What shapes an ordinary week
Fairfax is the main undergraduate campus, while Mason Square in Arlington and the Science and Technology Campus in Manassas extend specialized study across Northern Virginia.
A reason to look closer
Writing instruction reappears at three stages of the degree instead of ending after a single first-year composition requirement.