George Mason University

https://www2.gmu.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$9,510

2021 Average Net Price

$18,841

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

0.821%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

91.3%

20,527 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

38,628

67.1% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

70.1%

2,212 Graduates

About

George Mason University is a higher education institution located in Fairfax County, VA. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at George Mason University were Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods (428 degrees awarded), Information Technology (391 degrees), and General Psychology (371 degrees).

In 2021, 10,774 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at George Mason University. 57.9% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 42.1% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (4,736 degrees), 2.61 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1,817 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at George Mason University is $9,510, which is $−19,482 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

Photo by Ron Cogswell

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at George Mason University is $9,510, which is $−19,482 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $18,841.

In 2021, 57% of undergraduate students attending George Mason University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 39% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$9,510

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at George Mason University was $9,510. The cost of tuition at George Mason University is $−19,482 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

This chart compares the tuition costs of George Mason University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$18,841

2021 Value

3.04%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 George Mason University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $18,841. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of George Mason University grew by 3.04%.

This chart compares the average net price of George Mason University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$12,438

Room and Board

$1,278

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at George Mason University was of $12,438 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 2.75% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,278. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at George Mason University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

57%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

39%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

57% of undergraduate students at George Mason University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a decline of 3.39% with respect to 2020, when 59% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at George Mason University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.821%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at George Mason University was 0.821%, which represents 52 out of the 6333 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

George Mason University received 20,527 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 3.17% annual growth. Out of those 20,527 applicants, 18,741 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 91.3% acceptance rate.

There were 38,628 students enrolled at George Mason University in 2021. 37% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

George Mason University has an overall enrollment yield of 21.3%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

91.3%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

18,741

Accepted Out of 20,527

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of George Mason University was 91.3% (18,741 admissions from 20,527 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 89.2%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 3.17%, while admissions declined by −0.888%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of George Mason University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

37%

Submission Percentage (2021)

1,481

Scores Submitted (2021)

37% of enrolled first-time students at George Mason University in 2021 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

George Mason University had a total enrollment of 38,628 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at George Mason University is 25,916 students and the part-time enrollment is 12,712. This means that 67.1% of students enrolled at George Mason University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at George Mason University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 38.9% White, 18.9% Asian, 14.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Black or African American, 4.1% Two or More Races, 0.155% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.106% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at George Mason University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (18.6%), followed by White Female (17.2%) and Asian Male (11.7%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (22.9%), followed by White Male (18.1%) and Black or African American Female (5.91%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

67.1%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at George Mason University in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 38,628 students. The full-time enrollment at George Mason University is 25,916 and the part-time enrollment is 12,712. This means that 67.1% of students enrolled at George Mason University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.6% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at George Mason University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

84%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at George Mason University was 84%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), George Mason University had a retention rate approximately the same as its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at George Mason University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
15,029 enrolled students
Asian
7,301 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
5,452 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at George Mason University is 38.9% White, 18.9% Asian, 14.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Black or African American, 4.1% Two or More Races, 0.155% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.106% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 48.9% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1,795 students (4.65%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 1,694 more women than men received degrees from George Mason University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at George Mason University is white (4,736 degrees awarded). There were 2.61 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1817 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at George Mason University is Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods (428 degrees awarded), followed by Information Technology (391 degrees) and General Psychology (371 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at George Mason University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Communication Technologies (97 degrees awarded), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (1,162 degrees), and Protective Services (605 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at George Mason University are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,701,502 people), Software developers (534,960 people), Secondary school teachers (441,896 people), Other managers (390,201 people), and Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (350,186 people).

The most specialized majors at George Mason University in 2021 are Communication Technologies (97 degrees awarded), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (1,162 degrees), Protective Services (605 degrees), EDUCATION. (1,351 degrees), and Social Sciences (788 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at George Mason University are Surgeons, Physicians, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, and Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

The most specialized majors at George Mason University are Communication Technologies (97 degrees awarded), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (1,162 degrees), Protective Services (605 degrees), EDUCATION. (1,351 degrees), and Social Sciences (788 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at George Mason University are Elementary & secondary schools (2,915,961 people), Computer Systems Design (703,692 people), Justice, public order, & safety activities (507,027 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (476,142 people), and Legal services (303,378 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by George Mason University.

Most Common (2021)

Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods
428 degree-majors awarded
Information Technology
391 degree-majors awarded
General Psychology
371 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at George Mason University was Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods with 428 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at George Mason University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

4,540

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

6,234

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 4,540 degrees were awarded to men at George Mason University, which is 0.728 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (6,234).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at George Mason University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 338 degrees were awarded to men at George Mason University in Information Technology, which is 2.77 times more than the 122 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 415 degrees were awarded to men at George Mason University in Curriculum & Instruction, which is 5.32 times more than the 78 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

50%

100% Completion Time

71%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 50% of students graduating from George Mason University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 71% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 74% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (79.2%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at George Mason University is Female and Asian (79.2% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 6.56% of graduates (145 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
4,736 degrees awarded
Asian
1,817 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,328 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at George Mason University is white (4,736 degrees awarded). There were 2.61 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1817 degrees).

3.74% of degree recipients (403 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
2,672 degrees awarded
White Male
2,064 degrees awarded
Asian Female
1,028 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at George Mason University is white female (2,672 degrees awarded). There were 1.29 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (2064 degrees).

Operations

George Mason University has an endowment valued at nearly $173M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 4.59M (2.65%) compared to the 10.4% average return (40.5M on 388M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2021, George Mason University had a total salary expenditure of 993M. George Mason University employs 505 Associate professors, 468 Assistant professors and 392 Professors. Most academics at George Mason University are Male Associate professor (264), Male Professor (261), and Female Associate professor (241).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at George Mason University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 567 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 404 employees, and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 357 employees.

Endowment

$173M

2021 Endowment

25.3%

growth from 2020

George Mason University has an endowment valued at about $173M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of George Mason University grew 25.3% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $215M lower than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at George Mason University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$139M - Federal
$4.02M - State
$2.41M - Local

As of 2021, George Mason University received $139M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $4.02M from state grants and contracts, and $2.41M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$462M

2021 Salaries

3.56%

growth from 2020

In 2021, George Mason University paid a median of $462M in salaries, which represents 46.6% of their overall expenditure ($993M) and a 3.56% growth from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.8% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$165M

Instructional Salaries

1,453

Number of Employees

In 2021, George Mason University paid a total of $165M to 1,453 employees working as instructors, which represents 35.6% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Associate professor

Most Common Instructor

505 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

567 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at George Mason University were Associate professor with 505 employees, Assistant professor with 468 employees, and Professor with 392 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at George Mason University were Business and Financial Operations with 567 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 404 employees, and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 357 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Associate professor
Male Professor
Female Associate professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at George Mason University was Male Associate professor with 264 employees, Male Professor with 261 employees, and Female Associate professor with 241 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at George Mason University.