George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia · Public · 27,752 undergraduates · gmu.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
86%
of 26,014 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1180 to 1360
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$35,990Est.Estimate
$61,910 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at George Mason University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
86% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$61,910
a year in 2027-28, from a $61,910 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1260
Send your score
About 81% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1120, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
Source: Freshman Requirements | George Mason University · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Action · November 1, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Feb1Regular Decision · February 1, 2027The standard deadline.
- Jun1Other deadline · June 1, 2027
Who gets in
86%
of applicants were admitted: 22,495 of 26,014 for fall 2025.
Early Action
Not binding. Apply by 11/1, hear by 12/16.
Wait list
1,289 students were offered a spot; 415 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 18% of them sent SAT scores and 1% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1180 to 1360
Reading and Writing 590 to 690
Math 570 to 680
ACT composite 25 to 31
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160017%
- 1200 to 139953%
- 1000 to 119926%
- 800 to 9994%
- 600 to 7990.3%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.66
- 4.025%
- 3.75 to 3.9922%
- 3.50 to 3.7423%
- 3.25 to 3.4920%
- 3.00 to 3.2410%
- 2.50 to 2.990.8%
- Below 2.500%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$35,990
a year, in state
$61,910
a year, out of state (tuition $41,160)
- Tuition (in state)$15,240
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$9,594
- $30,001 to $48,000$9,467
- $48,001 to $75,000$11,341
- $75,001 to $110,000$16,147
- Over $110,000$23,862
Financial aid
67%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$12,032
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
20%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $9,376 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 3/1
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
- Aid deadline: 3/1
- The last day to send aid forms.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
41 of 41
Earn credit with a score of 3
39 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $1,520Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | AVT Elective |
| 2-D Art and Design | 4 | 3 | AVT 104 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | AVT Elective |
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 3 | AVT 105 |
| African American Studies | 3 | 3 | AFAM Elective |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | ARTH 200 |
| Art History | 4 | 6 | ARTH 200, 201 |
| Biology | 3 | 3 | BIOL 103 |
| Biology | 4 | 4 | BIOL 103,105 |
| Biology | 5 | 8 | BIOL 102,103,105 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 3 | MATH 123 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | MATH 113 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 3 | MATH 123 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 8 | MATH 113, 114 |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 3 | 3 | MATH 123 |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 4 | 4 | MATH 113 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 4 | CHEM 103 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 4 | CHEM 211, 213 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | CHIN 110 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 9 | CHIN 110, 201 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | CHIN 110, 201, 202 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | GOVT 133 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 4 | CS Elective |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 4 | CS 112 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 3 | CS Elective |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 3 | CS 100 |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | AVT Elective |
| Drawing | 4 | 3 | AVT 222 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENGH 101 |
| English Language and Composition | 5 | 6 | ENGH 101, 201 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENGH 101 |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | 6 | ENGH 101, 202 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 4 | EVPP 108, 109 |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 8 | EVPP 108, 109, 112, 113 |
| European History | 3 | 3 | HIST 100 |
| European History | 4 | 6 | HIST 100, L388 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | FREN 110 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 9 | FREN 110, 201 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | FREN 110, 201, 202 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | GERM 110 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 9 | GERM 110, 201 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | GERM 110, 201, 202 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GGS 103 |
| Human Geography | 4 | 6 | GGS 101, 103 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | ITAL 110 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 9 | ITAL 110, 201 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | ITAL 110, 201, 202 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | JAPA 110 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 9 | JAPA 110, 201 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | JAPA 110, 201, 202 |
| Latin | 3 | 6 | LATN 101, 102 |
| Latin | 4 | 9 | LATN 101, 102, 201 |
| Latin | 5 | 12 | LATN 101, 102, 201, 202 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON elective |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 3 | ECON 104 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON elective |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 3 | ECON 103 |
| Music Theory | 3 | 3 | MUSI 100 |
| Music Theory | 5 | 3 | MUSI 115 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 103 |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 4 | PHYS 243, 244 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 104 |
| Physics 2 | 4 | 4 | PHYS 245, 246 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 4 | PHYS 245, 246 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 4 | PHYS 260, 261 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 4 | PHYS 243, 244 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 4 | PHYS 160, 161 |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | 3 | MATH 103T |
| Pre-Calculus | 4 | 4 | MATH 105 |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSYC 100 |
| Research | 3 | 3 | GENL Elective |
| Seminar | 3 | 3 | GENL Elective |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | SPAN 110 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 9 | SPAN 110, 201 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | SPAN 110, 201, 202 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 3 | SPAN L488 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | STAT 105T |
| Statistics | 4 | 3 | STAT 250 |
| Statistics | 5 | 3 | STAT 250 (nonmajors); STAT 260 (majors) |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | GOVT 103 |
| United States History | 3 | 3 | HIST 121 |
| United States History | 4 | 6 | HIST 121, 122 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | HIST 125 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 6 | HIST 125, L387 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
66%
Come back for a second year
86%
Typical earnings
$79,923
a year, 10 years after starting here
- George Mason University$121,358
- All colleges$98,966
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 47 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with George Mason University. The George Mason University logo is a trademark of the college.