Lafayette College vs. William & Mary

Should I go to Lafayette College or College of William and Mary? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Lafayette College 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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Lafayette College vs. College of William and Mary comparison
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Lafayette College College of William and Mary
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Overview

Lafayette College William & Mary
Location Easton, PA Williamsburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,764 9,762
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #66 #69
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lafayette.edu wm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lafayette College William & Mary
Tuition (In State) $61,482 $18,252
Tuition (Out of State) $61,482 $42,053
Room & Board $18,640 $14,555
Avg Net Price $34,728 $20,422
Avg Grant Aid $44,126 $20,908
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 40%

Admission

Lafayette College William & Mary
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,874 17,548
Admitted 3,107 5,741
Acceptance Rate 31.5% 32.7%
Enrolled % 22.4% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.85
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High High
ACT Range 30/33 32/34
SAT Range 1340/1490 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

Lafayette College William & Mary
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Business (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

Lafayette College William & Mary
Graduation Rate 88% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $81,000 $68,700
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $201

Diversity

Lafayette College William & Mary
% Men 0% 12%
% Women 0% 17%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 59%
% Black 5% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 9% 6%
% Unknown Race 7% 6%

Students

Lafayette College William & Mary
% In-State 13% 60%
% Out-of-State 79% 35%

Campus

Lafayette College 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 Lafayette College based on total student enrollment (9,762 students vs. 2,764 students)

Lafayette College vs. William & Mary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lafayette College or William & Mary?

  • Lafayette College is 236.9% more expensive to attend than William & Mary for in-state tuition ($61,482.00 vs. $18,252.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.2% higher at Lafayette College than College of William and Mary ($61,482.00 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 Lafayette College ($20,422 vs. $34,728)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of William and Mary are 28.1% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($14,555 vs. $18,640)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lafayette College than College of William and Mary (52% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lafayette College students is 111% larger than aid received College of William and Mary ($44,126 vs. $20,908)

Lafayette College vs. William & Mary Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of William and Mary (1353) is 59 points higher than at Lafayette College (1294)
  • Incoming William & Mary students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Lafayette College (29)
  • Accepted freshman William & Mary students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • William & Mary has a higher acceptance rate (32.7%) than Lafayette College (31.5%)

Lafayette College vs. William & Mary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lafayette College 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 Lafayette College.

  • The graduation rate at William & Mary is higher than Lafayette College (91% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $12,300 more per year than William & Mary graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $68,700)
  • College of William and Mary students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Lafayette College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,000)
  • William & Mary graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than Lafayette College graduates. ($201 vs. $268)
  • More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William & Mary students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 85%)

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