Acceptance Rate
34%
Avg. SAT
1530
75th percentile
“America's second-oldest college blends colonial ghosts with preppy rigor in history-soaked Williamsburg.”
Williamsburg, VA
Location
Small Suburb
Campus Setting
You'll step into the College of William & Mary, chartered in 1693 by King William III and Queen Mary, making it the second-oldest U.S. institution after Harvard and the nation's first planned campus. This public flagship thrives on its Public Ivy status, drawing ambitious students who crave intellectual debates over keg stands—think service-minded overachievers with a touch of Southern polish, the types who organize Model UN in high school and intern at Capitol Hill. The school's personality radiates earnest tradition amid red-brick Wren Building shadows, fostering a collaborative yet competitive edge. Williamsburg, a preserved 18th-century village of 15,000, wraps you in fife-and-drum parades and horse-drawn carriages, but tradeoffs hit hard: the small-suburb vibe means limited nightlife or diversity compared to urban peers, and out-of-state tuition stings at $40K while in-state steals the show.
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Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
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Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Degree Levels Offered
In William & Mary's classrooms, professors ditch massive lectures for seminar-style showdowns where you'll dissect Federalist Papers with a 13:1 student-faculty ratio that feels personal—Government and International Relations majors dominate discussions on policy puzzles, while Mason School of Business sharpens finance whizzes and Neuroscience pioneers probe brain mysteries in one of the nation's earliest undergrad programs. Research beckons early; undergrads co-author papers on everything from colonial economics to quantum materials, fueled by an intellectual culture that's collaborative but unrelenting, with weeder courses in STEM culling the casual. Tradeoffs? You'll grind harder than at less selective publics, and while interdisciplinary links abound, specialized tech or engineering lags behind flagships like UVA.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
7,063 undergrad • 2,755 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
61%
Black / African American
7%
Hispanic / Latino
8%
Asian
10%
Other / Multi-racial
14%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Williamsburg, VA
Varsity Athletics
Campus life pulses with preppy traditions in a residential system where you'll bond during "dorm pulls," hauling ropes to hoist new freshman halls amid cheers and chants. A typical week mixes 8 a.m. lectures, Tribe athletics tailgates (cheering D1 lacrosse), and late-night Swem Library grinds, with moderate Greek life (25% join) fueling formals but not dominating. The vibe skews wholesome—service trips to Yorktown, a cappella Yule Log ceremonies where you circle a flaming log caroling under holiday lights—but challenges lurk: Williamsburg's sleepy streets mean weekends at Busch Gardens or Norfolk drives for bigger parties, humid summers test your grit, and the earnest crowd can feel cliquey to free spirits.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
NCAA
ROTC & Veteran Support
Army
Yes
Navy
No
Air Force
No
Veteran’s Programs Available
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
Yes
Credit for military training
Yes
Dedicated point of contact for veteran support services
Yes
Recognized student veteran organization
Yes
Member of DoD Voluntary Educational Partnership MOU
Yes
Cost & Aid
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
Room & Board
Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
Students Receiving Aid
Receiving Pell Grants
Average Grant
Average Federal Loan
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Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
95%
4 Years Graduation Rate
86%
6 Years Graduation Rate
91%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$73,490
95% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at College of William and Mary and return in the fall. 86% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 91% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
86%
4-6 years
5%
Non-grad
9%
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Key Statistics
Type
Public
Tuition
$17,434
Acceptance
34%
Undergrads
7,063
4-Year Grad Rate
86%
Endowment
$1.4B
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795