William & Mary
William & Mary is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia, chartered in 1693 and the second-oldest college in the United States. A residential, liberal-arts-focused flagship of about 6,950 undergraduates, it is highly selective — roughly 37% of nearly 16,900 applicants are admitted, and enrolled first-years carry an average high school GPA around 4.34 with middle-50% SAT scores of 1390–1520. The social sciences are the most popular field at about 20% of bachelor's degrees, and with a 13-to-1 student-faculty ratio and a 95% first-year retention rate, W&M pairs the academic depth of a research university with a small-college feel.
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William & Mary admissions statistics
Acceptance Rate
Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.
Admit rate by residency
% admittedEarly Decision
William & Mary offers binding Early Decision. Applying early can meaningfully change your odds — but ED commits you to enroll if admitted.
Admit rate by application plan
% admitted~1.4× higher admit rate applying early.
Standardized Tests
William & Mary is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Class Rank
Where William & Mary's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 30% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. William & Mary does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions Factors
How William & Mary weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of Attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from William & Mary's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.
Out-of-state students pay $26,443 more — entirely in tuition. Room, board, and other costs are identical regardless of residency.
Financial Aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Major Distribution
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student Diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus Life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by Gender
Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.
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Frequently asked questions about William & Mary admissions
Is it hard to get into William & Mary?＋
William & Mary is highly selective, admitting about 37% of applicants in the most recent cycle from a pool of roughly 16,900, with around 1,640 first-years enrolling. Admitted students are academically strong — average high school GPA near 4.34, with 79% ranked in the top tenth of their class — and the rigor of your course load is weighed as a very important factor.
What are my chances of getting into William & Mary as an out-of-state student?＋
Unusually for a Virginia public university, William & Mary admits Virginia residents and out-of-state applicants at essentially the same rate — both groups were admitted at about 37.0% in the most recent entering class. Where residency does matter is cost: out-of-state students pay $53,678 in tuition and fees versus $27,235 for Virginians. Non-residents make up about 39% of enrolled undergraduates.
What GPA do you need to get into William & Mary?＋
Admitted first-years at William & Mary report an average high school GPA of about 4.34 on a weighted scale. There's no fixed cutoff, but academic GPA and the rigor of your coursework are both weighed as very important factors — among the 30% who reported a class rank, 79% placed in the top tenth and 95% in the top quarter of their graduating class.
Is a 1490 SAT good enough for William & Mary?＋
A 1490 is competitive: it falls within the middle 50% of enrolled first-years, who scored between 1390 and 1520 on the SAT (32–34 on the ACT). William & Mary is test-optional, so scores are weighed as 'considered' rather than required — a 1490 helps but won't carry an application on its own.
Is William & Mary test-optional?＋
Yes. William & Mary is test-optional, so you can apply without SAT or ACT scores, and standardized tests are weighed as a 'considered' factor rather than a very important one. If you do submit, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1390–1520 on the SAT and 32–34 on the ACT.
Does William & Mary offer Early Decision?＋
Yes — William & Mary offers two binding Early Decision rounds (ED I and ED II) and no Early Action. In the early round it admitted about 727 of 1,477 ED applicants, a higher admit rate than the roughly 37% overall, reflecting the boost a binding commitment can give a strong application.
How much does William & Mary cost in-state vs. out-of-state?＋
Annual tuition and required fees are about $27,235 for Virginia residents and $53,678 for out-of-state students. Around 33% of first-years receive need-based grant aid, with an average need-based package near $29,030, and William & Mary meets roughly 82% of demonstrated need on average.
Does the application essay matter at William & Mary?＋
Yes — William & Mary rates the application essay as a very important factor in its holistic review, alongside GPA, course rigor, recommendations, and character. With admission at about 37% and so many academically strong applicants, a specific, well-revised essay is one of the clearest ways to stand out.
Source: William & Mary Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-07. Student-Faculty Ratio, % Receiving Need-Based Aid, Avg. Aid Package, and Avg. % Need Met are from the 2024-2025 edition. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with William & Mary. Banner photo by Smash the Iron Cage, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).