George Washington vs. UVA

Should I go to George Washington University or University of Virginia Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if George Washington or UVA 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

AU William & Mary Georgetown UNC Chapel Hill JMU Virginia Tech Michigan University of Richmond Washington and Lee UCLA Mason Northeastern
George Washington University vs. University of Virginia Main Campus comparison
George Washington University University of Virginia Main Campus College 3 College 4
George Washington University University of Virginia Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 George Washington UVA
Location Washington, DC Charlottesville, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 25,568 25,924
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #76 #63
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gwu.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 George Washington UVA
Tuition (In State) $64,700 $17,490
Tuition (Out of State) $64,700 $53,836
Room & Board $16,300 $13,940
Avg Net Price $45,466 $17,831
Avg Grant Aid $35,367 $29,675
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 28%

Admission

 George Washington UVA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 27,094 56,528
Admitted 11,798 9,533
Acceptance Rate 43.5% 16.9%
Enrolled % 21.5% 41.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 31/34 32/34
SAT Range 1350/1500 1410/1530
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 5, 2026

Academics

 George Washington UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (34%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (4%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 George Washington UVA
Graduation Rate 81% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $80,500 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,962 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $201

Diversity

 George Washington UVA
% Men 22% 15%
% Women 34% 17%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 56% 60%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 10% 5%
% Unknown Race 5% 6%

Students

 George Washington UVA
% In-State 1% 65%
% Out-of-State 88% 29%

Campus

 George Washington UVA
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is larger than than George Washington based on total student enrollment (25,924 students vs. 25,568 students)

George Washington vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, George Washington or UVA?

  • George Washington University is 269.9% more expensive to attend than UVA for in-state tuition ($64,700.00 vs. $17,490.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.2% higher at George Washington than University of Virginia Main Campus ($64,700.00 vs. $53,836.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Virginia Main Campus than George Washington ($17,831 vs. $45,466)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Virginia Main Campus are 16.9% lower than costs at George Washington University ($13,940 vs. $16,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at George Washington University than University of Virginia Main Campus (77% vs. 28%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by George Washington University students is 19.2% larger than aid received University of Virginia Main Campus ($35,367 vs. $29,675)

George Washington vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, George Washington or UVA? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UVA or George Washington .

  • The average SAT score at University of Virginia Main Campus (1364) is 70 points higher than at George Washington (1294)
  • Incoming UVA students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at George Washington (29)
  • Accepted freshman UVA students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at George Washington (3.81)
  • George Washington has a higher acceptance rate (43.5%) than UVA (16.9%)

George Washington vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, George Washington or UVA? 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 UVA and George Washington.

  • The graduation rate at UVA is higher than George Washington University (94% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from George Washington University earn on average $3,300 more per year than UVA graduates after ten years. ($80,500 vs. $77,200)
  • University of Virginia Main Campus students graduate with a $5,462 lower median federal student loan debt than George Washington graduates. ($19,500 vs. $24,962)
  • UVA graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than George Washington graduates. ($201 vs. $258)
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former George Washington students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 82%)

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