TU vs. Mason

Should I go to Towson University or George Mason University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if TU or Mason 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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Towson University vs. George Mason University comparison
Towson University George Mason University College 3 College 4
Towson University George Mason University
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Overview

TU Mason
Location Towson, MD Fairfax, VA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 19,527 39,527
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #375 #239
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website towson.edu gmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

TU Mason
Tuition (In State) $7,382 $10,095
Tuition (Out of State) $24,402 $35,677
Room & Board $15,644 $15,151
Avg Net Price $15,064 $18,900
Avg Grant Aid $11,565 $11,311
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 72%

Admission

TU Mason
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,948 22,579
Admitted 15,689 20,057
Acceptance Rate 82.8% 88.8%
Enrolled % 19.2% 22.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/28 25/30
SAT Range 1050/1270 1140/1340
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 Apr 1, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

TU Mason
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

TU Mason
Graduation Rate 64% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,750 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $183 $204

Diversity

TU Mason
% Men 4% 13%
% Women 12% 17%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 61% 43%
% Black 18% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

TU Mason
% In-State 90% 77%
% Out-of-State 9% 16%

Campus

TU Mason
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • George Mason University is larger than than TU based on total student enrollment (39,527 students vs. 19,527 students)

TU vs. Mason Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TU or Mason?

  • George Mason University is 36.8% more expensive to attend than TU for in-state tuition ($10,095.00 vs. $7,382.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.2% higher at Mason than Towson University ($35,677.00 vs. $24,402.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than Mason ($15,064 vs. $18,900)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at George Mason University are 3.3% lower than costs at Towson University ($15,151 vs. $15,644)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at George Mason University than Towson University (72% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Towson University students is 2.2% larger than aid received George Mason University ($11,565 vs. $11,311)

TU vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at George Mason University (1153) is 72 points higher than at TU (1081)
  • Incoming Mason students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at TU (23)
  • Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Mason (3.68)
  • Mason has a higher acceptance rate (88.8%) than TU (82.8%)

TU vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, TU or Mason? 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 Mason and TU.

  • The graduation rate at TU is the same as at George Mason University (64% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from George Mason University earn on average $8,400 more per year than TU graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $53,500)
  • Towson University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Mason graduates. ($17,750 vs. $19,750)
  • TU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Mason graduates. ($183 vs. $204)
  • More Mason graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TU students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)

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