George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia · Private Nonprofit · 47.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 88/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
George Washington University scores 88 (Strong Value) on the CampusROI scale, earning strong marks across payback period (5.1 years), debt-to-earnings (0.349), completion rate (84%), and repayment rate (87%). Average 6-year earnings of $58,600 at a net price of $36,586 put GWU in a competitive position for a DC-area private research university. International Relations and National Security Studies - GWU's largest program at 511 graduates - earns $52,933 year one and $76,751 year four, reflecting steady placement into government, think tanks, and defense contractors adjacent to Washington. Computer Science (55 graduates) earns $104,200 year one and $150,716 at year four with ROI grade A.
The median graduate earns $90,873 ten years after entry - well above the roughly $53,600 median across the schools we score.
George Washington University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $67,710/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $67,710/yr |
| Average net price | $36,586/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $146,344 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $90,873 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $58,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,449 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $217 |
| Estimated payback period | 5.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 84.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 11,182 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $67,710/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $36,586/year, or roughly $146,344 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $17,440/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $55,337/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,449, which works out to about $217 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($58,600) and comes to 0.35, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $17,440 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,292 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $22,080 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $28,100 |
| $110,001+ | $55,337 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The $0-30,000 income bracket pays $17,440 per year at GWU, and the $30,001-48,000 bracket pays $17,292 - essentially the same, with the lower bracket receiving marginally less aid, which is an unusual inversion. At four-year cost around $70,000 against $58,600 average 6-year earnings and a 5.1-year payback, the ROI case is strong for low-income students who complete degrees and enter any of GWU's higher-earning programs.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-75,000) pay $22,080 per year; the $75,001-110,000 bracket pays $28,100. These figures represent meaningful aid from a $67,710 sticker price. The 5.1-year payback period is competitive for a private university in this price range, and the DC location provides internship access that can accelerate career entry.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,001+ pay $55,337 per year - about $221,000 over four years at full cost. Against $58,600 average 6-year earnings, the financial case for high-income families depends on program choice: Computer Science ($104,200 year one) justifies full pay easily; International Relations ($52,933 year one) stretches it. GWU's policy network and DC location add value not captured in Scorecard earnings, particularly for careers in government and multilateral institutions.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at George Washington University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $76,751 | B |
| International Relations | $79,692 | B |
| Registered Nursing | $96,741 | B+ |
| Public Health | $87,217 | C+ |
| Economics | $99,406 | B+ |
| Psychology | $79,187 | - |
| Finance and Financial Management | $126,638 | B+ |
| Biology | $70,444 | D |
| International Business | $99,018 | B+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $80,070 | B |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Computer Science
Computer Science (55 graduates) is GWU's top-earning program by year-one dollars: $104,200 median earnings at year one, $150,716 at year four, with debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.187 and median debt of $19,500 (ROI grade A). The DC tech market - bolstered by federal contracting, cybersecurity, and defense IT - pulls GWU CS graduates into well-compensated roles immediately. The A-grade ROI is among the strongest at the school.
International Relations and National Security Studies
International Relations and National Security Studies is GWU's largest program at 511 graduates - by far the most popular major. Year-one median earnings are $52,933, year-four $76,751, with debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.416 (ROI grade B). The National Security Studies designation reflects GWU's specialized pipeline into defense and intelligence adjacent careers, which pay better than traditional foreign service tracks. A B-grade ROI at 511 graduates sets the institutional floor for this program-heavy school.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing (272 graduates) earns $79,221 year one and $96,741 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.335 (ROI grade B+). Nursing is GWU's largest program outside the policy cluster and serves the DC-area healthcare demand. The B+ grade reflects the strong labor market.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance (95 graduates) earns $73,833 year one and $126,638 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.257 (ROI grade B+). The four-year jump to $126k reflects GWU finance graduates moving into investment banking, private equity, and financial analysis roles in DC and New York. Median debt is $19,000, making this one of the stronger ROI programs in the school.
Biology
Biology (68 graduates) earns $32,354 year one and $70,444 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.767 (ROI grade D). The D grade and low year-one earnings reflect that GWU biology graduates heavily pursue medical or graduate school, suppressing the 6-year Scorecard earnings figure. The four-year figure of $70k is decent and likely improves substantially in years 8-12 for those completing professional degrees. Students using biology as a pre-med track should not be deterred by the ROI grade but should budget for graduate school costs.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 83.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 87.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 85.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 88.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How George Washington University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 47.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 670-750 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 680-750 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 31-34 |
| Enrollment | 11,182 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 15.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $16,784 |
GWU accepts 47.1% of applicants - moderately selective but not highly so. SAT 670-750 Math and 680-750 Reading, ACT 31-34 reflect the middle 50%. GWU's location is a material factor in admissions self-selection: students who specifically want DC access apply; others choose more conventional selective research universities.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Washington University (this school) | 88 | $36,586 | $90,873 |
| Santa Clara University | 90 | $50,062 | $109,183 |
| University of San Diego | 88 | $30,365 | $86,522 |
| The Catholic University of America | 77 | $29,561 | $73,250 |
| Syracuse University | 76 | $38,793 | $79,164 |
| American University | 74 | $41,943 | $77,370 |
Who Thrives Here
GWU fits students targeting policy, international affairs, government, and public health careers who want proximity to DC's institutional network. The 47.1% acceptance rate makes it moderately selective - SAT mid-range is 670-750 Math and 680-750 Reading, ACT 31-34. At 11,182 enrolled students, it is mid-size with a strong commuter and internship culture given its Foggy Bottom location. Students who thrive at schools with heavy extracurricular internship demands and a policy-oriented culture fit well; students seeking a traditional residential campus with strong sports culture may find it less compelling.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, George Washington University pays off. You'd pay about $36,586 a year after aid ($146,344 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $90,873 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 5.1 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 84.0% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $20,449 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $58,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
George Washington University: Common Questions
Is George Washington University worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students George Washington University pays off. It scores 88/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $36,586 a year after aid ($146,344 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $90,873 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 5.1 years to earn back.
How much does George Washington University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $36,586 a year, or roughly $146,344 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do George Washington University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $90,873 ten years after enrolling, roughly $49,073 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off George Washington University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 5.1 years for George Washington University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do George Washington University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,449, against average earnings of $58,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at George Washington University?
The six-year graduation rate is 84.0%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.