George Mason University

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2017 Undergraduate Tuition

$8,672

5.7% growth from 2016

2017 Average Net Price

$18,629

After Financial Aid

2016 Student Loan

2.11%

Default Rate

2017 Acceptance Rate

81.3%

18,993 Applicants

2017 Enrolled Students

35,984

68.5% Full-Time

2017 Graduation Rate

70.9%

1,872 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 General Psychology (348 degrees awarded), Criminal Justice - Police Science (327 degrees), and Information Technology (283 degrees).

In 2017, 9,254 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at George Mason University. 57% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 43% awarded men. The majority of degree recipients were white (4,569 degrees), 3.55 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1286 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at George Mason University is $8,672, which is $-17,828 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

Photo by Ron Cogswell

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at George Mason University is $8,672, which is $-17,828 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $18,629.

In 2017, 49% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 44% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$8,672

2017 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2017, the cost of tuition at George Mason University was $8,672. The cost of tuition at George Mason University is $-17,828 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

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

Average Net Price

$18,629

2017 Value

3.31%

1 Year Growth

In 2017 George Mason University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $18,629. Between 2016 and 2017, the average net price of George Mason University grew by 3.31%.

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

$11,932

Room and Board

$1,200

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at George Mason University was of $11,932 in 2017. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,200. The cost of room and board increased by 1.32% between 2016 and 2017. The cost of books and supplies increased by 4.35% 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

49%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

44%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

49% of undergraduate students at George Mason University received grants or loans in 2017. This represents a growth of 6.52% with respect to 2016, when 46% 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.

2.11%

2016 Default Rate

121

Number of Defaults

In 2016 the default rate for borrower's at George Mason University was 2.11%, which represents 121 out of the 5725 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 18,993 undergraduate applications in 2017, which represents a 22.2% annual growth. Out of those 18,993 applicants, 15,446 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 81.3% acceptance rate.

There were 35,984 students enrolled at George Mason University in 2017, and 70% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

George Mason University has an overall enrollment yield of 22.6%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

81.3%

Acceptance Rate in 2017

15,446

Accepted Out of 18,993

In 2017, the undergraduate acceptance rate of George Mason University was 81.3% (15,446 admissions from 18,993 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2016, which was 81%. Between 2016 and 2017, the number of applicants grew by 22.2%, while admissions grew by 22.7%.

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

SAT Scores

70%

Submission Percentage

2,459

Scores Submitted

70% of enrolled first-time students at George Mason University in 2017 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 35,984 students. The full-time enrollment at George Mason University is 24,648 students and the part-time enrollment is 11,336. This means that 68.5% of students enrolled at George Mason University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at George Mason University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 45% White, 16.7% Asian, 12% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Black or African American, 3.81% Two or More Races, 0.278% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.147% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at George Mason University in full-time Undergraduate programs are majority White Male (21.6%), followed by White Female (20.2%) and Asian Female (10%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are majority White Female (24.4%), followed by White Male (19.2%) and Black or African American Female (5.62%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

68.5%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at George Mason University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 35,984 students. The full-time enrollment at George Mason University is 24,648 and the part-time enrollment is 11,336. This means that 68.5% of students enrolled at George Mason University are enrolled full-time compared with 78% 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

88%

2017 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 88%. 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
16,192
Asian
5,992
Hispanic or Latino
4,336

The enrolled student population at George Mason University is 45% White, 16.7% Asian, 12% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Black or African American, 3.81% Two or More Races, 0.278% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.147% 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 51.5% White, 13.4% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.57% 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, 1,137 students (3.16%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2017, 1290 more women than men received degrees from George Mason University. The majority of degree recipients at George Mason University are white (4,569 degrees awarded). There were 3.55 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1286 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at George Mason University is General Psychology (348 degrees awarded), followed by Criminal Justice - Police Science (327 degrees) and Information Technology (283 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 (424 degrees awarded), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (914 degrees), and Public Administration and Social Service (408 degrees).

Workforce

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

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 Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (462,715 people), Software developers (459,658 people), Other managers (377,763 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (350,604 people), and Social workers, all other (230,523 people).

The most specialized majors at George Mason University are English (424 degrees awarded), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (914 degrees), Public Administration and Social Service (408 degrees), Social Sciences (791 degrees), and History (132 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, Electrical & electronics engineers, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, and Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

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 (689,041 people), Computer Systems Design (648,731 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (470,987 people), Legal services (377,127 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (256,305 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

General Psychology
348 degree-majorss awarded
Criminal Justice - Police Science
327 degree-majorss awarded
Information Technology
283 degree-majorss awarded

In 2017, the most common bachelors degree concentration at George Mason University was General Psychology with 348 degree-majorss 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

Degrees Awarded to Men

3,982
5,272

In 2017, 3,982 degrees were awarded to men at George Mason University, which is 0.755 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (5,272).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2017, 303 degrees were awarded to men at George Mason University in Information Technology, which is 4.04 times more than the 75 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2017, 333 degrees were awarded to women at George Mason University in Curriculum & Instruction, which is 5.29 times more than the 63 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

46%

100% Completion Time

69%

150% Completion Time

In 2017, 46% of students graduating from George Mason University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 69% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 72% 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.

American Indian or Alaska Native Female

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at George Mason University is Female and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (68.1%).

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, 4.7% of graduates (88 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
4,569 degrees awarded
Asian
1,286 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,011 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at George Mason University is white (4,569 degrees awarded). There were 3.55 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1286 degrees).

3.64% of degree recipients (337 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

White Female
2,623 degrees awarded
White Male
1,946 degrees awarded
Asian Female
694 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at George Mason University is white female (2,623 degrees awarded). There were 1.35 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1,946 degrees).

Operations

George Mason University has an endowment valued at nearly $77.7M, as of the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $2.36M (3.04%), compared to the 5.91% average return ($16.9M on $287M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2017, George Mason University had a total salary expenditure of $800M. George Mason University employs 445 Associate professors, 402 Assistant professors, and 363 Professors. Most academics at George Mason University are Male Professors (261), Male Associate professors(245), and Female Assistant professors (219).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at George Mason University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 493 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 367 employees, and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 350 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$77.7M

2017 Endowment

8.56%

growth from 2016

George Mason University has an endowment valued at about $77.7M, as of the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The endowment of George Mason University grew 8.56% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $209M 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

$77.5M - Federal
$1.4M - State
$1.53M - Local

As of 2017, George Mason University received $77.5M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $1.4M from state grants and contracts, and $1.53M from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$370M

2017 Salaries

2.1%

growth from 2016

In 2017, George Mason University paid a median of $370M in salaries, which represents 46.3% of their overall expenditure ($800M) and a 2.1% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 2.21% decline from 2015 and a 0.831% growth from 2014.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 215M (42.7% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$133M

Instructional Salaries

1,306

Number of Employees

In 2017, George Mason University paid a total of $133M to 1,306 employees working as instructors, which represents 36.1% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $64.9M (30.2%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Associate professor

Most Common Instructor

445 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

493 Employees

In 2017, the most common positions for instructional staff at George Mason University were Associate professor with 445 employees; Assistant professor with 402 employees; and Assistant professor with 363 employees.

In 2017, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at George Mason University were Business and Financial Operations with 493 employees; Office and Administrative Support with 367 employees; and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 350 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Female Assistant professor

In 2017, the most common demographic for instructional staff at George Mason University was Male Professor with 261 employees, Male Associate professor with 245 employees, and Female Assistant professor with 219 employees.

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

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