Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia · Private Nonprofit · 12.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 93/100 · Exceptional Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Georgetown scores a 93 (Exceptional Value) in Washington, DC - a private Jesuit research university with 7,569 undergraduates and an 11.7-mile walk to the Capitol. Average 6-year earnings are $81,100. The payback period of 4.4 years is fast, debt-to-earnings is 0.191 (median debt just $15,500), and the completion rate is 94.8%. Georgetown's Finance program (236 graduates, $106,218 year-one earnings) is the top earner; International Relations and National Security Studies (283 graduates) and Economics (184 graduates) round out the high-volume programs. The DC location is not incidental - it shapes career pipelines into consulting, government, international organizations, and financial policy in ways that show up in the data. Not all programs perform: Biology earns $37,196 at year one (D-grade ROI) and Linguistics earns $28,278.
The median graduate earns $103,494 ten years after entry - well above the roughly $53,600 median across the schools we score.
Georgetown University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $68,017/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $68,017/yr |
| Average net price | $40,815/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $163,260 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $103,494 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $81,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $15,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $164 |
| Estimated payback period | 4.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 94.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 7,569 |
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: $68,017/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $40,815/year, or roughly $163,260 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 $5,064/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $57,403/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $15,500, which works out to about $164 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($81,100) and comes to 0.19, 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 | $5,064 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,155 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,329 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,459 |
| $110,001+ | $57,403 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $5,064 per year - Georgetown's aid commitment for low-income students is strong. At $20,256 total over four years, average 6-year earnings are $81,100 with a 4.4-year payback. Georgetown's 10% Pell rate is low, though, suggesting that despite the generosity, low-income students apply and enroll at lower rates than the aid model would support.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 30,001-48,000 bracket pays $12,155 per year - rising, but still heavily subsidized. The 48,001-75,000 bracket reaches $18,329, and the 75,001-110,000 bracket rises to $26,459. The slope is moderate across the middle-income range, and the costs remain well below sticker ($68,017 tuition).
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $57,403 per year - near sticker. Over four years that is roughly $230,000. Against a 4.4-year payback and $81,100 average 6-year earnings, the high-income case is strongest for students entering finance, business, or economics programs. Students paying full freight for a degree in Linguistics ($28,278 year-one earnings) or Sociology are making a very expensive bet that the brand alone recovers the investment.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Georgetown University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $82,197 | B+ |
| International Relations | $79,502 | B+ |
| Finance and Financial Management | $152,744 | A |
| Economics | $118,999 | A |
| Psychology | $99,007 | B+ |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $92,963 | - |
| International Business | $159,452 | A |
| Computer Science | $143,900 | A |
| Accounting | $141,931 | A |
| English Language and Literature | $78,370 | 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.
Finance and Financial Management
Georgetown's McDonough School of Business sends 236 Finance graduates into the workforce earning $106,218 in year one - the highest 1-year median of any Georgetown program. By year four, the figure reaches $152,744. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.159 (ROI grade A) and $16,877 median debt reflect both Georgetown's financial aid quality and the high earning power of finance graduates from a DC-based Jesuit university with strong Wall Street and consulting ties. Graduates enter investment banking, corporate finance, and financial services roles. The brand premium from McDonough is real in those markets.
International Relations and National Security Studies
The School of Foreign Service's flagship program (283 graduates) earns $50,588 at year one and $82,197 at four years. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.346 (ROI grade B+) reflects a program where year-one earnings are modest - graduates enter government agencies, NGOs, think tanks, and consulting firms where salary growth is uneven. The four-year figure ($82,197) shows meaningful advancement. Georgetown's SFS is the most brand-recognized international affairs program in the US, and that recognition shapes hiring in ways that are real but not fully captured in the year-one earnings number.
Economics
Georgetown Economics (184 graduates) earns $84,460 at year one and $118,999 at four years - strong numbers that reflect the consulting and policy pipeline available from a DC-campus economics program. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.195 (ROI grade A) and $16,500 median debt make this a clean ROI economics program. Graduates enter consulting, financial analysis, policy research, and government positions. The DC location creates proximity to economic policy institutions that shapes hiring distinctively from most economics programs.
International Business
Seventy-two International Business graduates earn $81,800 at year one and $159,452 at four years - the highest four-year earnings of any Georgetown program. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.177 (ROI grade A) and $14,447 median debt make this the most financially efficient program on campus. The four-year figure suggests that international business graduates advance rapidly into senior roles at multinational corporations, financial institutions, and consulting firms where the Georgetown School of Foreign Service brand carries global recognition. A smaller cohort (72 graduates), so variance exists.
Accounting
Georgetown Accounting (55 graduates) earns $89,564 at year one and $141,931 at four years. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.195 (ROI grade A) is clean. Accounting at McDonough feeds into Big Four public accounting and corporate finance roles in the Mid-Atlantic market.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 90.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 92.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 88.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 91.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Georgetown 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 | 12.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 690-780 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 700-770 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 31-35 |
| Enrollment | 7,569 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 10.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $18,098 |
Georgetown admits 12.9% of applicants - highly selective. SAT Math 690-780, Reading 700-770; ACT 31-35 composite. Georgetown's schools (College, McDonough Business, School of Foreign Service, Nursing) have different competitive dynamics: SFS is especially sought-after for international affairs-minded students. Essays and demonstrated commitment to international issues or public service carry weight.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown University (this school) | 93 | $40,815 | $103,494 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 97 | $31,944 | $114,862 |
| Washington University in St Louis | 96 | $21,786 | $86,182 |
| Emory University | 92 | $22,585 | $80,137 |
| The Catholic University of America | 77 | $29,561 | $73,250 |
| American University | 74 | $41,943 | $77,370 |
Who Thrives Here
Georgetown's admitted students show SAT 690-780 Math and 700-770 Reading; ACT 31-35. The 94.8% completion rate suggests enrolled students are strongly matched.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
If you're asking whether Georgetown University is worth it, the short answer is yes - it's one of the strongest money decisions in higher education. Four years here run about $163,260 after aid, and the typical graduate earns $103,494 ten years out. That earnings head start covers the cost in roughly 4.4 years, well ahead of most schools.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 94.8% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
On debt, you can breathe a little easier here. Median debt of $15,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $81,100 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.19: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
Georgetown University: Common Questions
Is Georgetown University worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Georgetown University pays off. It scores 93/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $40,815 a year after aid ($163,260 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $103,494 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 4.4 years to earn back.
How much does Georgetown 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 $40,815 a year, or roughly $163,260 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 Georgetown University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $103,494 ten years after enrolling, roughly $61,694 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 Georgetown 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 4.4 years for Georgetown University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Georgetown University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $15,500, against average earnings of $81,100 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.19. In our view that is very manageable: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
What is the graduation rate at Georgetown University?
The six-year graduation rate is 94.8%, 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.