About

About William & Mary

historic public universitysmall class sizesselective admissionsstrong social sciencescolonial williamsburg setting

William & Mary is a public research university in Williamsburg, VA, known for its historic public university, small class sizes, and selective admissions. With an acceptance rate of 34%, William & Mary is selective, typically enrolling around 1,642 students each year. William & Mary is test optional; students who submit scores are typically admitted with SATs between 1400–1530, though many competitive applicants choose not to submit. William & Mary offers merit scholarships regardless of financial need, with awards averaging $21,182 per year; the sticker price of $63,850 may look very different from what your family actually pays.

Admissions

William & Mary acceptance rate and admitted student profile

selective

34%
Overall Accept Rate
1465
Median Admitted SAT
SATSubmitted score range: 1400 – 1530 (test optional)

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Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to William & Mary

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Essay Strategy
William and Mary takes its essays very seriously, so use your writing to show genuine engagement with its identity as a public university with a strong civic and intellectual tradition. Reference specific programs, professors, or initiatives like the Whole of Government Center or the Tribe Athletics culture to make your interest feel concrete and researched.
Test Score Strategy
Since William and Mary is test optional and your scores fall below the typical range for admitted students, leave them off your application and let your essays, grades, and activities carry the weight instead.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What William & Mary actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30k~$64k/yr$3.1k
30k-48k~$64k/yr$0.9k
48k-75k~$64k/yr$5.9k
75k-110k~$64k/yr$16.8k
110k+~$64k/yr$34.4k

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

91%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$63k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
11:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
6,352
Undergrad Enrollment
William & Mary Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch