Admit rate has ranged 17%–25% over the last 5 years. 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.
Washington and Lee University is a small, fiercely selective liberal arts college in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley that blends Southern gentility with Ivy-caliber academics. Known for its honor system, 8:1 student-faculty ratio, and a student body where 54% are women and 9% international, W&L graduates enjoy medical school acceptance rates (92%) that crush national averages. The university's 'W&L Promise' guarantees full tuition coverage for families earning under $150k—a rare commitment among elite private colleges.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
Considered (not required)
Grade point average
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Demonstrated competencies
TOEFL (non-native English)
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
1,881
In-state tuition
$68,045
Out-of-state tuition
$68,045
Location
Lexington, VA
Avg Class Size
15
Acceptance Rate
14%
Johnson Scholars
44/year (full tuition + room/board)
Med School Acceptance
92%
Student-Faculty Ratio
8:1
6-Year Graduation Rate
95%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$94,810
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
4.0×
Median debt at graduation
$19,500
Graduation rate
94%
First-year retention
97%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
88%
Pell (lower-income) share
29%
Endowment / student
$1,086,244
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.
Financial health
2.3 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Computer Science$91,744
Mathematics$76,460
Accounting and Related Services$66,449
Business Administration, Management and Operations$56,641
Economics$55,964
Journalism$42,682
Political Science and Government
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
3
Per 1,000 students
1.59
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
95
Summer high
85°F
Winter low
29°F
Annual rain
38.4"
Annual snow
12.5"
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
6,431
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
0.6%
Bottom → top quintile
51%
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 Washington and Lee University?
Washington and Lee University's acceptance rate is approximately 14% (Lexington, VA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Washington and Lee University?
Admitted students at Washington and Lee University typically score 1430–1540 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Washington and Lee University cost?
At Washington and Lee University, the average net price (after aid) is about $23,781 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Washington and Lee University?
Washington and Lee University enrolls approximately 1,881 undergraduate students.
Where is Washington and Lee University located?
Washington and Lee University is located in Lexington, VA.
Admissions
Getting into Washington and Lee is a feat: the Class of 2029 saw 8,969 applicants for just 1,216 spots, yielding a 13.96% Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants.. Middle 50% SAT scores range from 1430–1540, with ACTs between 33–34, though W&L remains Test-optionalA policy where you choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. If you don't, the rest of your application carries more weight.. The gender split leans slightly female (54% women, 46% men), with 10% Johnson Scholars (full-tuition merit recipients) and 9% international students. Notably, 44% of admitted students submitted SATs, while only 20% submitted ACTs—a reflection of the test-flexible era.
W&L's academic rigor is legendary, with an 8:1 student-faculty ratio and average class size of 15. The university offers 47 majors and 44 minors, including standout programs in business, journalism, and engineering—rare for a liberal arts college. Physical sciences and history each claim 5% of majors, while philosophy and religious studies thrive alongside Arabic language and archaeology. The curriculum emphasizes interdisciplinary thinking, with professors praised for being 'top of the line' and fostering a 'speaking tradition' that encourages open dialogue. The law school adds graduate-level heft to this undergraduate-focused institution.
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.
Life at W&L oscillates between genteel tradition and outdoor adventure. The honor system—where students pledge not to lie, cheat, or steal—permeates campus culture, though some Reddit users describe the vibe as 'full of snobby ass rich kids.' Over 100 student organizations thrive, from arts management clubs to outdoor recreation programs. While the school's Confederate-era namesakes spark debate, a campus religious leader clarifies: 'We're not Liberty University.' The Shenandoah setting encourages hiking and kayaking, balancing the formality of the school's famed 'Fancy Dress' ball—a black-tie tradition since 1907.
W&L's 95% graduation rate lands it in the top 5% nationally, with near-parity between genders. Pre-professional outcomes dazzle: 92% medical school acceptance (vs. ~40% national average) and 87% law school acceptance over five years. The College Scorecard data shows graduates typically earn $89,000 mid-career—strong for liberal arts alumni. The tight-knit alumni network, particularly in Southern legal and business circles, gives graduates outsized career leverage. Nearly all students finish in four years, defying the 'six-year rate' metric used by federal reporting.
At $67,150 total annual cost, W&L isn't cheap—but its aid policies are transformative. The 'W&L Promise' guarantees:
Full tuition grants for families earning under $150k (with typical assets)
Full tuition + room/board + $10k for those under $75k
No loans in aid packages (replaced by grants/work-study)
The Johnson Scholarship covers full tuition, room, and board for 44 top applicants yearly. Roughly 10% of first-years land Merit aidScholarship money awarded for achievements like grades, talents, or test scores — not based on your family's financial need., with average Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. after aid around $23,867. The school meets 100% of demonstrated need, a pledge few elite privates match.
W&L is a paradox: a small Southern college with Yankee-level selectivity, where students address professors by first name but wear black tie to finals. Its combination of pre-professional strength (business, law) and classic liberal arts rigor (philosophy, Arabic) is unmatched among peers. The honor system creates a culture of trust—exams are self-scheduled, laptops sit unattended—while the 'speaking tradition' mandates greeting passersby. With medical school Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. double the national average and aid policies that rival the Ivies, W&L punches far above its 1,800-student weight.
