Bucknell vs. William & Mary

Should I go to Bucknell University or College of William and Mary? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bucknell or William & Mary is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Bucknell University vs. College of William and Mary comparison
Bucknell University College of William and Mary College 3 College 4
Bucknell University College of William and Mary
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Overview

Bucknell William & Mary
Location Lewisburg, PA Williamsburg, VA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,892 9,762
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #73 #69
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bucknell.edu wm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bucknell William & Mary
Tuition (In State) $64,418 $18,252
Tuition (Out of State) $64,418 $42,053
Room & Board $16,118 $14,555
Avg Net Price $38,486 $20,422
Avg Grant Aid $41,211 $20,908
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 40%

Admission

Bucknell William & Mary
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,010 17,548
Admitted 3,524 5,741
Acceptance Rate 32% 32.7%
Enrolled % 29.2% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.85
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High High
ACT Range 31/33 32/34
SAT Range 1300/1450 1365/1510
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026 Jan 2, 2026

Academics

Bucknell William & Mary
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Business (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

Bucknell William & Mary
Graduation Rate 91% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $76,300 $68,700
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $201

Diversity

Bucknell William & Mary
% Men 0% 12%
% Women 1% 17%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 59%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 5% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 6%

Students

Bucknell William & Mary
% In-State 21% 60%
% Out-of-State 74% 35%

Campus

Bucknell William & Mary
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • College of William and Mary is larger than than Bucknell based on total student enrollment (9,762 students vs. 3,892 students)

Bucknell vs. William & Mary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bucknell or William & Mary?

  • Bucknell University is 252.9% more expensive to attend than William & Mary for in-state tuition ($64,418.00 vs. $18,252.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 53.2% higher at Bucknell than College of William and Mary ($64,418.00 vs. $42,053.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of William and Mary than Bucknell ($20,422 vs. $38,486)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of William and Mary are 10.7% lower than costs at Bucknell University ($14,555 vs. $16,118)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bucknell University than College of William and Mary (56% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bucknell University students is 97.1% larger than aid received College of William and Mary ($41,211 vs. $20,908)

Bucknell vs. William & Mary Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bucknell or William & Mary? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between William & Mary or Bucknell .

  • The average SAT score at College of William and Mary (1353) is 38 points higher than at Bucknell (1315)
  • Incoming Bucknell students have at the same average ACT score (30) as students at William & Mary (30)
  • Accepted freshman William & Mary students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at Bucknell (3.62)
  • William & Mary has a higher acceptance rate (32.7%) than Bucknell (32%)

Bucknell vs. William & Mary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bucknell or William & Mary? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between William & Mary and Bucknell.

  • The graduation rate at Bucknell is the same as at College of William and Mary (91% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Bucknell University earn on average $7,600 more per year than William & Mary graduates after ten years. ($76,300 vs. $68,700)
  • College of William and Mary students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Bucknell graduates. ($19,500 vs. $27,000)
  • William & Mary graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than Bucknell graduates. ($201 vs. $279)
  • More Bucknell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William & Mary students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 85%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/