George Mason University

https://www2.gmu.edu/

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2019 Undergraduate Tuition

$9,060

0% growth from 2018

2019 Average Net Price

$20,157

After Financial Aid

2017 Student Loan

2.64%

Default Rate

2019 Acceptance Rate

86.7%

19,554 Applicants

2019 Enrolled Students

37,863

68.9% Full-Time

2018 Graduation Rate

70%

1,875 Graduates

About

George Mason University is a higher education institution located in Fairfax County, VA. In 2016, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at George Mason University were Criminal Justice - Police Science (358 degrees awarded), General Psychology (356 degrees), and Information Technology (336 degrees).

In 2019, 9,992 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at George Mason University. 58.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 41.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (4,647 degrees), 3.02 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1541 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at George Mason University is $9,060, which is $−19,440 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

Photo by Ron Cogswell

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at George Mason University is $9,060, which is $−19,440 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $20,157.

In 2019, 52% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 43% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$9,060

2019 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2019, the cost of tuition at George Mason University was $9,060. The cost of tuition at George Mason University is $−19,440 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

This chart compares the tuition costs of George Mason University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$20,157

2019 Value

5.73%

1 Year Growth

In 2019 George Mason University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $20,157. Between 2018 and 2019, the average net price of George Mason University grew by 5.73%.

This chart compares the average net price of George Mason University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$12,426

Room and Board

$1,200

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at George Mason University was of $12,426 in 2019. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,200. The cost of room and board increased by 3.31% between 2018 and 2019. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at George Mason University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid

Financial Aid by Income Level

52%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

43%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

52% of undergraduate students at George Mason University received grants or loans in 2019. This represents a growth of 4% with respect to 2018, when 50% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at George Mason University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2.64%

2017 Default Rate

150

Number of Defaults

In 2017 the default rate for borrower's at George Mason University was 2.64%, which represents 150 out of the 5691 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

George Mason University received 19,554 undergraduate applications in 2019, which represents a 0.0153% annual decline. Out of those 19,554 applicants, 16,962 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 86.7% acceptance rate.

There were 37,863 students enrolled at George Mason University in 2019, and 72% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

George Mason University has an overall enrollment yield of 22.2%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

86.7%

Acceptance Rate in 2019

16,962

Accepted Out of 19,554

In 2019, the undergraduate acceptance rate of George Mason University was 86.7% (16,962 admissions from 19,554 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2018, which was 81.1%. Between 2018 and 2019, the number of applicants declined by −0.0153%, while admissions grew by 7%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of George Mason University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

72%

Submission Percentage

2,720

Scores Submitted

72% of enrolled first-time students at George Mason University in 2019 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

George Mason University has a total enrollment of 37,863 students. The full-time enrollment at George Mason University is 26,081 students and the part-time enrollment is 11,782. This means that 68.9% of students enrolled at George Mason University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at George Mason University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 41.7% White, 17.5% Asian, 13% Hispanic or Latino, 10.7% Black or African American, 4.13% Two or More Races, 0.169% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.156% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at George Mason University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (20.2%), followed by White Female (18%) and Asian Male (10.8%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (24%), followed by White Male (19%) and Black or African American Female (5.44%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

68.9%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at George Mason University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 37,863 students. The full-time enrollment at George Mason University is 26,081 and the part-time enrollment is 11,782. This means that 68.9% of students enrolled at George Mason University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.6% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at George Mason University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

86%

2019 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at George Mason University was 86%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (83%), George Mason University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at George Mason University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
15,771
Asian
6,643
Hispanic or Latino
4,920

The enrolled student population at George Mason University is 41.7% White, 17.5% Asian, 13% Hispanic or Latino, 10.7% Black or African American, 4.13% Two or More Races, 0.169% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.156% American Indian or Alaska Native. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 50.3% White, 14.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.48% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1,535 students (4.05%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2019, 1712 more women than men received degrees from George Mason University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at George Mason University is white (4,647 degrees awarded). There were 3.02 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1541 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at George Mason University is Criminal Justice - Police Science (358 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (356 degrees) and Information Technology (336 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at George Mason University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are English (374 degrees awarded), Education (1,374 degrees), and Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (981 degrees).

Workforce

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at George Mason University are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,562,563 people), Secondary school teachers (575,328 people), Software developers (541,569 people), Education administrators (305,002 people), and Other managers (284,836 people).

The most specialized majors at George Mason University are English (374 degrees awarded), Education (1,374 degrees), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (981 degrees), History (127 degrees), and Protective Services (560 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at George Mason University are Surgeons, Agents & business managers of artists, performers, & athletes, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, Physicians, and Architectural & engineering managers

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at George Mason University are Elementary & secondary schools (2,988,969 people), Computer Systems Design (638,979 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (473,497 people), Justice, public order, & safety activities (421,603 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (204,541 people).

Degrees

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by George Mason University.

Most Common

Criminal Justice - Police Science
358 degree-majorss awarded
General Psychology
356 degree-majorss awarded
Information Technology
336 degree-majorss awarded

In 2019, the most common bachelors degree concentration at George Mason University was Criminal Justice - Police Science with 358 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at George Mason University according to their major.

Gender Breakdown for Common Majors

4,140

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2019

5,852

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2019

In 2019, 4,140 degrees were awarded to men at George Mason University, which is 0.707 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (5,852).

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 majors at George Mason University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2019, 307 degrees were awarded to men at George Mason University in Information Technology, which is 2.87 times more than the 107 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2019, 441 degrees were awarded to women at George Mason University in Curriculum & Instruction, which is 6.39 times more than the 69 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

49%

100% Completion Time

71%

150% Completion Time

In 2019, 49% of students graduating from George Mason University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 71% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 74% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Diversity

Graduation Rate by Race and Gender

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (80.2%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at George Mason University is Female and Asian (80.2% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (69.1%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 3.89% of graduates (73 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
4,647 degrees awarded
Asian
1,541 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,226 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at George Mason University is white (4,647 degrees awarded). There were 3.02 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1541 degrees).

2.79% of degree recipients (279 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

White Female
2,644 degrees awarded
White Male
2,003 degrees awarded
Asian Female
887 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at George Mason University is white female (2,644 degrees awarded). There were 1.32 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (2,003 degrees).

Operations

George Mason University has an endowment valued at nearly $99.8M, as of the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $6.07M (6.09%), compared to the 4.24% average return ($13.2M on $311M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2019, George Mason University had a total salary expenditure of $919M. George Mason University employs 459 Associate professors, 446 Assistant professors, and 386 Professors. Most academics at George Mason University are Male Professors (270), Male Associate professors(248), and Female Assistant professors (238).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at George Mason University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 518 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 398 employees, and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 380 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$99.8M

2019 Endowment

17.5%

growth from 2018

George Mason University has an endowment valued at about $99.8M, as of the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The endowment of George Mason University grew 17.5% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $211M lower than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at George Mason University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$126M - Federal
$1.98M - State
$1.69M - Local

As of 2019, George Mason University received $126M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $1.98M from state grants and contracts, and $1.69M from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$413M

2019 Salaries

5.11%

growth from 2018

In 2019, George Mason University paid a median of $413M in salaries, which represents 45% of their overall expenditure ($919M) and a 5.11% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 6.22% growth from 2017 and a 2.1% growth from 2016.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.4% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$150M

Instructional Salaries

1,397

Number of Employees

In 2019, George Mason University paid a total of $150M to 1,397 employees working as instructors, which represents 36.2% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71.1M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Associate professor

Most Common Instructor

459 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

518 Employees

In 2019, the most common positions for instructional staff at George Mason University were Associate professor with 459 employees; Assistant professor with 446 employees; and Assistant professor with 386 employees.

In 2019, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at George Mason University were Business and Financial Operations with 518 employees; Office and Administrative Support with 398 employees; and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 380 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Female Assistant professor

In 2019, the most common demographic for instructional staff at George Mason University was Male Professor with 270 employees, Male Associate professor with 248 employees, and Female Assistant professor with 238 employees.

This chart shows the gender split between each academic rank present at George Mason University.

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