Acceptance Rate
14%
Avg. SAT
1540
75th percentile
“You'll pledge your honor in a tight-knit Southern enclave where unproctored exams test character as much as knowledge.”
Lexington, VA
Location
Town
Campus Setting
Washington and Lee traces its roots to 1749 as Augusta Academy, the ninth-oldest college in America and the first higher ed institution chartered west of the Blue Ridge Mountains; George Washington kickstarted its legacy with the nation's first dollar-denominated gift to a U.S. school, while Robert E. Lee reshaped it after the Civil War as its president, embedding a strict honor code that defines life there today. Nestled in tiny Lexington, Virginia—a historic town of 7,000 shared with the stern Virginia Military Institute amid the Shenandoah Valley's rolling hills—you'll trade urban buzz for postcard-perfect Appalachia, where cadets march in parades and apple orchards dot the horizon. Students who thrive here are self-starters with unshakeable integrity, drawn to genteel traditions and close bonds; those craving diversity or big-city energy might chafe at the homogeneity (mostly affluent, white, conservative Southerners) and isolation that demands you make your own fun.
Photo Gallery
+29
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Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
Test-optional schools still weigh strong scores. Submitting can help.
Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Degree Levels Offered
In seminar-style classes capped at 15, you'll debate ethics with professors who host barbecues at their farmhouses, fueled by an 8:1 ratio that dwarfs most peers—expect office hours to feel like mentorship sessions, not transactions. The Williams School of Commerce stands out for its rigorous honors program (one of few undergrad AACSB-accredited biz tracks), blending economics with philosophy amid strengths in journalism and sciences; undergrads snag research gigs early, like modeling climate impacts in the environmental studies lab. Tradeoffs hit if you chase niche majors—options skew traditional, with limited interdisciplinary flair compared to urban giants, and the vibe prioritizes breadth over hyper-specialization.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
1,886 undergrad • 355 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
68%
Black / African American
5%
Hispanic / Latino
8%
Asian
5%
Other / Multi-racial
14%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Lexington, VA
Varsity Athletics
NCAA Athletics
You'll navigate a residential quad system where first-years bond in doubles before scattering to Greek houses—90% affiliate, turning tailgates into black-tie formals with Derby Days races and candlelit balls that echo antebellum balls. A typical week mixes morning lectures, afternoon club meets (160 options, from kayaking to investment funds), and Friday night mixers, punctuated by Mock Convention frenzies where politicos predict primaries with eerie accuracy. Traditions like the Christmas Convocation procession in top hats infuse whimsy, but brace for small-town tradeoffs: winters bite in the Valley, social scenes skew preppy-staid (think Vineyard Vines over streetwear), and weekends often mean road trips to Roanoke since Lexington's "scene" peaks at the local brewery.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
Old Dominion Athletic Conf.
ROTC & Veteran Support
Army
Yes
Navy
No
Air Force
Yes
Veteran’s Programs Available
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
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
Net Annual Cost by Household Income
Household Income
Avg. Net Cost
$0 – $30K
$769
$30K – $48K
$743
$48K – $75K
$4,132
$75K – $110K
$10,395
$110K+
$43,946
Apply for Financial Aid
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Costs shown are before financial aid. Most students receive some form of aid. Complete the FAFSA to see what you qualify for.
Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
97%
4 Years Graduation Rate
91%
6 Years Graduation Rate
94%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$94,810
97% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at Washington and Lee University and return in the fall. 91% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 94% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
91%
4-6 years
3%
Non-grad
6%
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Key Statistics
Type
Private
Tuition
$60,590
Acceptance
14%
Undergrads
1,886
4-Year Grad Rate
91%
Endowment
$1.8B
Lexington, VA 24450-2116
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