Admit rate has ranged 75%–86% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
The University of Mary Washington is a public liberal arts university in Fredericksburg, Virginia, that operates like a small, attentive private college. It’s known for a collaborative, rigorous academic environment where small class sizes and dedicated professors are the norm, not the exception. While its admissions are accessible, the culture is one of serious intellectual engagement, producing graduates who reliably land on their feet, with a 90% career outcome rate.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
Letters of recommendation
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
3,566
In-state tuition
$14,640
Out-of-state tuition
$27,560
Top Majors
Business (15%), Social Sciences (11%)
Graduation Rate
66%
On-Campus Housing
57%
Career Outcome Rate
90% (avg. since 2015)
Median Earnings (10yr)
$60,613
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$60,613
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.9×
Median debt at graduation
$20,500
Graduation rate
66%
First-year retention
84%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
74%
Pell (lower-income) share
21%
First-gen share (among federal-aid recipients)
25%
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Computer and Information Sciences, General$69,002
Mathematics$49,625
Business Administration, Management and Operations$45,584
Economics$42,682
Political Science and Government$37,568
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
2
Per 1,000 students
0.54
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
92
Summer high
88°F
Winter low
33°F
Annual rain
44.9"
Annual snow
9.2"
Natural-hazard risk
Very Low
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
124
Scholarly works
2,670
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
0.8%
Bottom → top quintile
61%
From bottom quintile
1%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at University of Mary Washington?
University of Mary Washington's acceptance rate is approximately 80% (Fredericksburg, VA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for University of Mary Washington?
Admitted students at University of Mary Washington typically score 1170–1370 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does University of Mary Washington cost?
At University of Mary Washington, the average net price (after aid) is about $20,667 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend University of Mary Washington?
University of Mary Washington enrolls approximately 3,566 undergraduate students.
Where is University of Mary Washington located?
University of Mary Washington is located in Fredericksburg, VA.
Admissions
Mary Washington’s admissions process is notably accessible, with a high that reflects its commitment to providing a public liberal arts education to a broad range of students. The university is test-flexible; a significant majority of the enrolling class—71%—arrived without submitting SAT or ACT scores. For those who do submit scores, the middle 50% range is competitive but not out of reach. The university offers an Early Decision option, which historically provides a substantial admissions advantage, though the exact rate for UMW is not detailed in the provided sources. Notably, demonstrated interest—tracking how much an applicant engages with the school—is explicitly marked as "not considered" in the , meaning your application is judged on its own merits, not on how many campus tours you took.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
$35,060
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$34,704
Sociology$33,687
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
UMW awards four undergraduate degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Liberal Studies, and Bachelor of Professional Studies. The academic experience is defined by its intimate scale and faculty focus; students consistently cite small class sizes and fantastic, accessible professors as the institution's greatest strength. The curriculum encourages deep learning and critical thinking within a collaborative, rather than cutthroat, environment. Popular majors cluster in Business, Management, Marketing (15% of graduates) and the Social Sciences (11%), but the offerings span from Accounting and Actuarial Science to African American Studies and Anthropology. A key academic policy requires students to complete at least half of their major coursework on campus, maintaining a minimum 2.00 GPA within the major.
Life at Mary Washington is described as a culture that "embraces people as they are, so they can become who they're meant to be." The university actively seeks a rich blend of cultural diversity among its students, faculty, and staff, supported by a dedicated Multicultural Student Affairs office. Campus residency is split, with 57% of students living in college-owned or -affiliated housing and 43% living off-campus. The university provides a wide assortment of activities, programs, and services, fostering an environment where students are encouraged to take intellectual, social, and personal leaps.
The University of Mary Washington reliably sets its graduates on a path to success. Since 2015, the university has tracked career outcomes, observing an average 90% career outcome rate for alumni within six months of graduation. Early-career earnings for graduates average around $40,000, which aligns with expectations given the mix of popular majors. The university's performance was recognized with a four-star rating (out of five) in a recent 'Best Colleges' award, which highlighted its strong career outcomes and high percentage of undergraduates receiving grants.
UMW is proactive in making its education affordable, awarding $39 million in financial aid and scholarships in a recent year. Nearly all undergraduates (99%) receive grant aid. The —the average cost after aid and scholarships—makes the real cost significantly lower than the sticker price. Students must complete the FAFSA to demonstrate financial need for aid eligibility, and priority for scholarships and grants is given to those who maintain a minimum 2.000 cumulative GPA. The university provides a Net Price Calculator to help families estimate their actual cost.
The University of Mary Washington carves out a distinctive niche as a public university delivering the close-knit, faculty-focused experience of a private liberal arts college. Its singular character is built on a foundation of accessible admissions paired with rigorous, collaborative academics. The 90% career outcome rate is a powerful testament to the effectiveness of its model—this isn't just a place to study, but a launchpad. It’s a campus that consciously cultivates a supportive culture for personal growth, backed by substantial financial aid investment, proving that a high-quality, personalized education can be both public and profoundly impactful.
