Washington and Lee University: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
Washington and Lee University is a private nonprofit college in Lexington, VA. Students pay about $23,781 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $94,810 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 2.4 years and adds $366,476 over a decade, ranking it #29 of 918 (top 4%) by value added.
What is Washington and Lee University's acceptance rate?
Washington and Lee University has an acceptance rate of 14.0%, which makes it highly selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in Lexington, VA enrolling about 1,881 students, with a 94.4% graduation rate.
How much does Washington and Lee University cost?
Washington and Lee University costs about $23,781 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 $114,624. Published sticker cost of attendance is $87,000 per year.
How much do Washington and Lee University graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Washington and Lee University student earns $94,810 per year. That is $48,110 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is Washington and Lee University worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
Washington and Lee University pays back its roughly $114,624 cost in about 2.4 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $366,476 net of cost, a 4.2x return on the money invested. That ranks it #29 of 918 (top 4%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Top 10% value
Washington and Lee University graduation rate and student debt
94.4% of Washington and Lee University students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $19,500 in federal student debt. That debt is about 21% of one year of median graduate earnings.
Washington and Lee University by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How Washington and Lee 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 | $23,781 | $20,299 | cheaper than 35% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $94,810 | $54,768 | 97th |
| Graduation rate | 94.4% | 57.0% | 98th |
| Acceptance rate | 14.0% | 75.7% | more selective than 96% |
| 10-yr value added | $366,476 | -$28,192 | 97th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 4.2x | 0.73x | 95th |
| Payback period | 2.4 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 94% |
How Washington and Lee University compares with its nearest rivals
Washington and Lee University ranks #29 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: 2 of them cost less per year and 3 of them produce higher median earnings ten years after entry.
Washington and Lee University is a private nonprofit college in Lexington, VA with 1,881 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $87,000 a year, but the average aided family pays $23,781, a 73% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $19,500, equal to 21% of one year of median earnings ten years out. Getting in is the binding constraint at Washington and Lee University: 14.0% of applicants are admitted.
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo, CA; #29 of 918; 85.7% graduate) costs $7,116 less per year ($16,665 net), and its graduates earn $4,042 less ten years out ($90,768). Washington and Lee University adds $10,956 more ten-year value than California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo pays back its cost in 1.9 years.
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Worcester, MA; #28 of 918; 89.1% graduate) costs $19,290 more per year ($43,071 net), and its graduates earn $8,660 more ten years out ($103,470). Worcester Polytechnic Institute adds $1,940 more ten-year value than Washington and Lee University. Worcester Polytechnic Institute pays back its cost in 3.5 years.
- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Terre Haute, IN; #30 of 918; 80.0% graduate) costs $18,732 more per year ($42,513 net), and its graduates earn $6,443 more ten years out ($101,253). Washington and Lee University adds $15,998 more ten-year value than Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology pays back its cost in 3.6 years.
- Colorado School of Mines (Golden, CO; #27 of 918; 80.9% graduate) costs $4,909 more per year ($28,690 net), and its graduates earn $2,525 more ten years out ($97,335). Colorado School of Mines adds $2,114 more ten-year value than Washington and Lee University. Colorado School of Mines pays back its cost in 2.7 years.
- Williams College (Williamstown, MA; #31 of 918; 95.1% graduate) costs $6,065 less per year ($17,716 net), and its graduates earn $6,145 less ten years out ($88,665). Washington and Lee University adds $30,451 more ten-year value than Williams College. Williams College pays back its cost in 2 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado School of Mines | #27 | $28,690 | $97,335 | 80.9% | $368,590 |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | #28 | $43,071 | $103,470 | 89.1% | $368,416 |
| Washington and Lee University | #29 | $23,781 | $94,810 | 94.4% | $366,476 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | #29 | $16,665 | $90,768 | 85.7% | $355,520 |
| Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | #30 | $42,513 | $101,253 | 80.0% | $350,478 |
| Williams College | #31 | $17,716 | $88,665 | 95.1% | $336,025 |
Washington and Lee University and California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo share rank #29: Washington and Lee University was added after the 918-college snapshot was ranked and is placed against it without renumbering, so existing ranks stay stable.
Paying for Washington and Lee 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 Washington and Lee University worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, Washington and Lee University ranks #29 of 918 (top 4%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 4.2x the money invested over a decade.
Is Washington and Lee University expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $23,781 average net price is above the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 35% of them.
Do Washington and Lee University graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $94,810 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 97% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into Washington and Lee University compared to other colleges?
Its 14.0% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 96% 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.