George Washington University: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
George Washington University is a private nonprofit college in Washington, DC. Students pay about $36,586 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $90,873 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 3.8 years and adds $274,937 over a decade, ranking it #50 of 918 (top 6%) by value added.
What is George Washington University's acceptance rate?
George Washington University has an acceptance rate of 47.1%, which makes it selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in Washington, DC enrolling about 11,182 students, with a 84.5% graduation rate.
How much does George Washington University cost?
George Washington University costs about $36,586 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $166,793. Published sticker cost of attendance is $83,856 per year.
How much do George Washington University graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median George Washington University student earns $90,873 per year. That is $44,173 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is George Washington University worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
George Washington University pays back its roughly $166,793 cost in about 3.8 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $274,937 net of cost, a 2.65x return on the money invested. That ranks it #50 of 918 (top 6%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Top 10% value
George Washington University graduation rate and student debt
84.5% of George Washington University students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $20,449 in federal student debt. That debt is about 23% of one year of median graduate earnings.
George Washington University by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How George Washington University compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $36,586 | $20,299 | cheaper than 8% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $90,873 | $54,768 | 96th |
| Graduation rate | 84.5% | 57.0% | 92th |
| Acceptance rate | 47.1% | 75.7% | more selective than 85% |
| 10-yr value added | $274,937 | -$28,192 | 95th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 2.65x | 0.73x | 89th |
| Payback period | 3.8 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 85% |
How George Washington University compares with its nearest rivals
George Washington University ranks #50 of 918 by ten-year value added. The five profiled colleges closest to it in that ranking are compared below on the same federal data: 4 of them cost less per year and 1 of them produces higher median earnings ten years after entry.
George Washington University is a private nonprofit college in Washington, DC with 11,182 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $83,856 a year, but the average aided family pays $36,586, a 56% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $20,449, equal to 23% of one year of median earnings ten years out. George Washington University admits 47.1% of applicants.
- Trinity College (Hartford, CT; #49 of 918; 83.3% graduate) costs $1,754 less per year ($34,832 net), and its graduates earn about the same ten years out ($90,779). Trinity College adds $3,525 more ten-year value than George Washington University. Trinity College pays back its cost in 3.7 years.
- University of Maryland-College Park (College Park, MD; #48 of 918; 88.6% graduate) costs $20,908 less per year ($15,678 net), and its graduates earn $8,013 less ten years out ($82,860). University of Maryland-College Park adds $4,951 more ten-year value than George Washington University. University of Maryland-College Park pays back its cost in 2.3 years.
- Clarkson University (Potsdam, NY; #47 of 918; 74.3% graduate) costs $6,281 less per year ($30,305 net), and its graduates earn $1,177 less ten years out ($89,696). Clarkson University adds $7,803 more ten-year value than George Washington University. Clarkson University pays back its cost in 3.4 years.
- Bowdoin College (Brunswick, ME; #46 of 918; 95.4% graduate) costs $22,188 less per year ($14,398 net), and its graduates earn $8,138 less ten years out ($82,735). Bowdoin College adds $9,321 more ten-year value than George Washington University. Bowdoin College pays back its cost in 2.1 years.
- Jewish Theological Seminary of America (New York, NY; #45 of 918; 88.4% graduate) costs $6,609 more per year ($43,195 net), and its graduates earn $1,878 more ten years out ($92,751). Jewish Theological Seminary of America adds $12,793 more ten-year value than George Washington University. Jewish Theological Seminary of America pays back its cost in 3.8 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jewish Theological Seminary of America | #45 | $43,195 | $92,751 | 88.4% | $287,730 |
| Bowdoin College | #46 | $14,398 | $82,735 | 95.4% | $284,258 |
| Clarkson University | #47 | $30,305 | $89,696 | 74.3% | $282,740 |
| University of Maryland-College Park | #48 | $15,678 | $82,860 | 88.6% | $279,888 |
| Trinity College | #49 | $34,832 | $90,779 | 83.3% | $278,462 |
| George Washington University | #50 | $36,586 | $90,873 | 84.5% | $274,937 |
Paying for George Washington University
Net price is what a family pays after grants, so the aid a student qualifies for moves every figure above. Our sister sites cover that side of the decision: the Pell Grant 2026-2027 guide sets out who qualifies and the maximum award, the education grants guide lists federal, state and institutional grants beyond Pell, and the best AI tools for students compares what is worth paying for once enrolled.
Frequently asked
Is George Washington University worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, George Washington University ranks #50 of 918 (top 6%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 2.65x the money invested over a decade.
Is George Washington University expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $36,586 average net price is above the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 8% of them.
Do George Washington University graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $90,873 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 96% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into George Washington University compared to other colleges?
Its 47.1% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 85% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.