Yale vs. William & Mary

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

Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

UVA Harvard Princeton University of Richmond Columbia Stanford Washington and Lee Duke Brown Cornell UChicago Dartmouth
Yale University vs. College of William and Mary comparison
Yale University College of William and Mary College 3 College 4
Yale University College of William and Mary
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Yale William & Mary
Location New Haven, CT Williamsburg, VA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,081 9,762
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #69
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website yale.edu wm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Yale William & Mary
Tuition (In State) $64,700 $18,252
Tuition (Out of State) $64,700 $42,053
Room & Board $19,180 $14,555
Avg Net Price $26,044 $20,422
Avg Grant Aid $59,076 $20,908
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 40%

Admission

Yale William & Mary
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,803 17,548
Admitted 2,332 5,741
Acceptance Rate 4.5% 32.7%
Enrolled % 70.4% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme High
ACT Range 33/35 32/34
SAT Range 1500/1580 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 2, 2026 Jan 2, 2026

Academics

Yale William & Mary
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • History (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Ethnic Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Business (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

Yale William & Mary
Graduation Rate 97% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $118,400 $68,700
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $139 $201

Diversity

Yale William & Mary
% Men 25% 12%
% Women 30% 17%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 47% 59%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 9%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 11% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 6%

Students

Yale William & Mary
% In-State 6% 60%
% Out-of-State 81% 35%

Campus

Yale William & Mary
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Yale University is larger than than William & Mary based on total student enrollment (15,081 students vs. 9,762 students)

Yale vs. William & Mary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Yale or William & Mary?

  • Yale University is 254.5% more expensive to attend than William & Mary for in-state tuition ($64,700.00 vs. $18,252.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 53.9% higher at Yale than College of William and Mary ($64,700.00 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 Yale ($20,422 vs. $26,044)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of William and Mary are 31.8% lower than costs at Yale University ($14,555 vs. $19,180)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Yale University than College of William and Mary (54% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Yale University students is 182.6% larger than aid received College of William and Mary ($59,076 vs. $20,908)

Yale vs. William & Mary Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Yale University (1498) is 145 points higher than at William & Mary (1353)
  • Incoming Yale students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at William & Mary (30)
  • Accepted freshman Yale students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at William & Mary (3.85)
  • William & Mary has a higher acceptance rate (32.7%) than Yale (4.5%)

Yale vs. William & Mary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Yale 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 Yale.

  • The graduation rate at Yale is higher than College of William and Mary (97% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Yale University earn on average $49,700 more per year than William & Mary graduates after ten years. ($118,400 vs. $68,700)
  • Yale University students graduate with a $6,000 lower median federal student loan debt than William & Mary graduates. ($13,500 vs. $19,500)
  • Yale graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than William & Mary graduates. ($139 vs. $201)
  • More William & Mary graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Yale students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 84%)

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