Davidson vs. William & Mary

Comparable Facts

Compare Davidson College in Davidson, NC with William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

William & Mary is larger than Davidson based on total student enrollment (9,818 students vs. 1,869 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Davidson College is located in Davidson, NC (Large Suburban setting); William & Mary is in Williamsburg, VA (Large Suburban setting).
• Davidson College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. William & Mary is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Davidson College 8:1; William & Mary 12:1.

Davidson vs. William & Mary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Davidson or William & Mary? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at William & Mary than Davidson ($19,686 vs. $27,720).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at William & Mary are 5.4% lower than at Davidson College ($16,182 vs. $17,100).
• Davidson College is 148.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than William & Mary (about $38,496 more per year; $64,410.00 vs. $25,914.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 26.2% higher at Davidson than at William & Mary (about $13,372 more per year; $64,410.00 vs. $51,038.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Davidson College than at William & Mary (65% vs. 43%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Davidson College students is 123.6% larger than aid received by William & Mary students ($51,755 vs. $23,144).

Davidson vs. William & Mary Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Davidson or William & Mary? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between William & Mary and Davidson.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Davidson College (1470) is the same as at William & Mary (1470).
• Incoming William & Mary students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (33 vs. 32 at Davidson).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Davidson College 1400/1530; William & Mary 1400/1530.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Davidson College 31/34; William & Mary 32/34.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Davidson - Test optional; William & Mary - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Davidson Jan 7, 2027; William & Mary Jan 2, 2027.
• Accepted freshman William & Mary students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at Davidson (3.81).
• William & Mary has a higher acceptance rate (34.1%) than Davidson (13.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 47.9% at Davidson vs. 26.6% at William & Mary.

Davidson vs. William & Mary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Davidson and William & Mary? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Davidson College's six-year graduation rate (92%) is higher than William & Mary's (91%).
• Graduates from William & Mary earn a median of about $5,200 more per year than Davidson graduates about ten years after starting college ($68,700 vs. $63,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Davidson College graduates have a $2,500 lower median loan debt than William & Mary graduates ($17,000 vs. $19,500).
• Among borrowers, Davidson graduates have an estimated $26 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than William & Mary graduates ($175 vs. $201).
• More Davidson 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.