Davidson vs. Mason

Deciding between Davidson College and George Mason University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Davidson College
George Mason University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Davidson Davidson, NC
  • Mason Fairfax, VA
  • Setting
  • Davidson Large Suburban
  • Mason Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Davidson 1,869
  • Mason 39,766
  • Type
  • Davidson Private 4 Year
  • Mason Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Davidson #32
  • Mason #243
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Davidson Presbyterian Church (USA)
  • Mason -
  • Status
  • Davidson Non-profit
  • Mason Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Davidson
  • Mason

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Davidson $64,410
  • Mason $14,220
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Davidson $64,410
  • Mason $38,688
  • Room & Board
  • Davidson $17,100
  • Mason $15,725
  • Average Net Price
  • Davidson $27,720
  • Mason $18,823
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Davidson $51,755
  • Mason $12,852
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Davidson 65%
  • Mason 71%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Davidson 8,114
  • Mason 25,234
  • Admitted
  • Davidson 1,085
  • Mason 22,074
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Davidson 13.4%
  • Mason 87.5%
  • Enrolled
  • Davidson 47.9%
  • Mason 20.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Davidson 1470
  • Mason 1260
  • Typical ACT score
  • Davidson 32
  • Mason 27
  • Average High School GPA
  • Davidson 3.81
  • Mason 3.68
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Davidson A-
  • Mason A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Davidson Exceptional
  • Mason Difficult
  • Applicant Competition
  • Davidson Very High
  • Mason
  • ACT Range
  • Davidson 31/34
  • Mason 25/30
  • SAT Range
  • Davidson 1400/1530
  • Mason 1160/1360
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Davidson Test optional
  • Mason Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Davidson Jan 7, 2027
  • Mason Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Davidson 8:1
  • Mason 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Davidson
    • Social Sciences (28%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Psychology (11%)
    • Foreign Languages (11%)
    • English and Literature (11%)
  • Mason
    • Business (23%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • English and Literature (10%)
    • Psychology (8%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Davidson 92%
  • Mason 64%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Davidson $63,500
  • Mason $61,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Davidson 89%
  • Mason 73%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Davidson $17,000
  • Mason $19,750
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Davidson $175
  • Mason $204

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Davidson 47%
  • Mason 49%
  • % Women
  • Davidson 53%
  • Mason 51%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Davidson Medium
  • Mason Very High
  • HBCU
  • Davidson No
  • Mason No
  • % White
  • Davidson 68%
  • Mason 43%
  • % Asian
  • Davidson 5%
  • Mason 19%
  • % Black
  • Davidson 7%
  • Mason 11%
  • % Hispanic
  • Davidson 8%
  • Mason 13%
  • % Native American
  • Davidson 1%
  • Mason 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Davidson 0%
  • Mason 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Davidson 4%
  • Mason 5%
  • % International
  • Davidson 6%
  • Mason 5%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Davidson 1%
  • Mason 5%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Davidson 19%
  • Mason 77%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Davidson 68%
  • Mason 14%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Davidson Yes
  • Mason Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Davidson No
  • Mason No
  • Meal Plan
  • Davidson Yes
  • Mason Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Davidson No
  • Mason No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Davidson No
  • Mason Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Davidson College in Davidson, NC with George Mason University in Fairfax, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

George Mason University is larger than Davidson based on total student enrollment (39,766 students vs. 1,869 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Davidson College is located in Davidson, NC (Large Suburban setting); George Mason University is in Fairfax, VA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Davidson College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. George Mason University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Davidson College 8:1; George Mason University 16:1.

Davidson vs. Mason Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Davidson or Mason? 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 George Mason University than Davidson ($18,823 vs. $27,720).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at George Mason University are 8% lower than at Davidson College ($15,725 vs. $17,100).
  • Davidson College is 353% more expensive for in-state tuition than Mason (about $50,190 more per year; $64,410.00 vs. $14,220.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 66.5% higher at Davidson than at George Mason University (about $25,722 more per year; $64,410.00 vs. $38,688.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at George Mason University than at Davidson College (71% vs. 65%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Davidson College students is 302.7% larger than aid received by George Mason University students ($51,755 vs. $12,852).

Davidson vs. Mason Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Davidson or Mason? 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 Mason and Davidson.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Davidson College (1470) is 210 points higher than at Mason (1260).
  • Incoming Davidson students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 27 at Mason).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Davidson College 1400/1530; George Mason University 1160/1360.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Davidson College 31/34; George Mason University 25/30.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Davidson - Test optional; Mason - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Davidson Jan 7, 2027; Mason Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Davidson students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Mason (3.68).
  • Mason has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than Davidson (13.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 47.9% at Davidson vs. 20.2% at Mason.

Davidson vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Davidson and Mason? 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 George Mason University's (64%).
  • Graduates from Davidson College earn a median of about $1,600 more per year than Mason graduates about ten years after starting college ($63,500 vs. $61,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Davidson College graduates have a $2,750 lower median loan debt than Mason graduates ($17,000 vs. $19,750).
  • Among borrowers, Davidson graduates have an estimated $29 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Mason graduates ($175 vs. $204).
  • More Davidson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mason students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 73%)

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.