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Fredericksburg , VA
The University of Mary Washington, located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, is a public liberal arts university known for its small class sizes, dedicated faculty, and strong sense of community. Established in 1908 as a women's college, it transitioned to a co-educational institution in 1970. Today, the university offers bachelor's degrees in a wide range of disciplines, including arts and sciences, business, education, and nursing.
The University of Mary Washington prides itself on providing a personalized and engaging academic experience. With an average student-to-faculty ratio of 14:1, students have the opportunity to build close relationships with their professors and receive individualized attention. The university also emphasizes hands-on learning and encourages students to undertake research projects, internships, and study abroad experiences, fostering a well-rounded education and preparation for the professional world.
The university's picturesque campus spans over 176 acres and offers a vibrant student life. The campus community is known for its tight-knit feel, where students can easily get involved in various clubs, organizations, and sports teams. The university also offers a range of support services, such as academic advising, career development, and counseling, ensuring students have the resources they need to thrive both academically and personally. Overall, the University of Mary Washington provides a well-rounded, student-focused education within a welcoming community.
Located in Fredericksburg, VA, University of Mary Washington is a public comprehensive higher education institution. This school uses a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 79%. The freshman retention rate at University of Mary Washington is 84.4% and the six-year graduation rate is 66%.
Discover more about what you can expect if you get into University of Mary Washington.
Quick Facts
3,660
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
13:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
66%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the school's criteria for admission, you can make a better judgment about your eligibility and boost your chances of getting accepted. Here are the most relevant information you should know about admission policy and requirements at University of Mary Washington.
According to the newest information reported, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 4,088 in 2025. University of Mary Washington has an official test-optional admission policy but takes into consideration standardized test scores in cases when they are submitted by the candidate. Looking at entrance difficulty level for all or most incoming freshmen, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is moderately difficult to get into.
Test Scores
26% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 4% submitted ACT scores, out of the overall number of those who submitted test scores. 17.46% of the first-year students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 54.49% between 1,200 and 1,399, 26.46% between 1,000 and 1,199, and 1.59% of the students between 800 and 999. The percent of incoming freshmen who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 44.83, 44.83 between 24-29 and 10.34 in the range between 18-23.
The average ACT score for all the accepted students in 2025 was 28 while the average GPA was 3.75. Therefore, the chances are that you'll need a GPA higher than the average for acceptance, and the same goes for your ACT score.
The SAT Critical Reading average score was 656 for the accepted students, while the average SAT Math score was 603.
Retention Rate
The percentage of freshmen at a college or university who stay on for their second year is known as the freshman retention rate. This piece of data is important as it can reveal to the prospective students how many freshmen liked the school enough to return to it as sophomores.
As reported in 2025, the freshman retention rate for University of Mary Washington was 84.4%, reflecting the superb quality of the educational programs at this institution.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This metric measures how efficiently students complete their degrees within a specific time period. At this school, the rate of students graduating within six years is 66%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
Choosing a school that is the right place for you is not a simple task. You can get a better insight into a school's culture and life by finding out more about its student body.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the school had an enrollment of 3,826 students.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 9% for that year. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the school was 3,660, 95 of which were international students. The school admitted a total of 320 transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 1,130 male and 2,018 female full-time students in 2025, which is indicative of the importance this institution places on gender equality.
Student Population Diversity
The importance of student diversity cannnot be denied, when it comes to the overall feeling of inclusion and beloning among the students of any school. An inclusive student body brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
In 2025, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of Asian students was 158, while the number of African American students was 291. 462 undergrads at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 217 as multirace. The school also had 2 students who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 7 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 218 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Before sending an application to any college or university, the financial component should be taken into consideration. The latest information on the expenses that most students at this school incur are detailed below.
Tuition and Fees
Wondering about tuition at University of Mary Washington? Here is what you need to know.
For the students who live in the area, the tuition cost was $9,390, as reported by public county or municipal institutions. Tuition fees were $22,965 for students coming from out of state. For the students coming from abroad, tuition at this school was $22,965, as well. Full-time students in 2025 were obliged to pay additional fees in the amount of $5,900.
| Category | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-State | $22,965 | $5,900 | $28,865 |
| In-State | $9,390 | $5,900 | $15,290 |
Books and Supplies
Another important financial factor to consider is the approximate cost of books and supplies for a college or university. Most students have to give about $1,200 for books and supplies during their time at University of Mary Washington.
Boarding
Besides tuition, another cost to consider is the price of housing in the dorms and eating at the school cafeteria. What is the typical amount colleges and universities charge for lodging and meals?
At University of Mary Washington, the 2025 annual cost of room and board (on campus) was $15,150. If you only wanted a room on the campus, you had to pay $8,780 for the 2025 academic year. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was $7,917.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 9,390 |
| Room and Board | $ 15,150 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,200 |
| Total Expense | $ 25,740 |
Financial Aid
Financial support for students comes in different forms: grants, loans, scholarships, or work-study programs. Check out some recent data to get informed about need-based and non-need-based aid at University of Mary Washington.
The most recent records show that 346 freshmen received some sort of financial help. The average financial aid package awarded to students reached $13,462.
Need-based
Need-based financial aid is exactly what it sounds like — it’s awarded based on the determined financial need.
There were 942 students who received need-based financial aid of any kind. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was found to be 1,330. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution stood at $4,291,362, and state $6,939,692.
$5,224
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Any financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid is considered non-need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 789 students overall (including freshmen) at University of Mary Washington in 2025. Institutional grants or scholarships that are not based on financial need were given to 293 full-time freshman. The total amount of non-need-based institutional scholarships/grants was $8,888,745. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. $748,307 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).
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Majors
Faculty
13:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio represents the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.
In 2025, this ratio at University of Mary Washington was 13:1. That means that there were 13 times more students than teachers at this school. This school has recently reported to have 313 faculty members. This number included 159 men and 154 women.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
It is not all about learning and grades at University of Mary Washington: campus life is a crucial component of your educational experience. Find out some details about social life at University of Mary Washington.
Its campus spans 234 acres.
Student Organizations
A student organization is run by students at a university or a college institution, whose membership typically consists only of current students and/or alumni.
This school has 153 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. The student organization that has the biggest membership is UMW Girl Gains, followed by Tabletop Game Club and Yarnworks. Other popular organizations at University of Mary Washington are Latino Student Association and Pre-Health Society.
For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. Interested in media and communication? University of Mary Washington publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
At University of Mary Washington, there are many amenities that make life on campus pleasant and safe.
There are emergency phone and alarm devices available around the clock. The dormitory entrances are electronically operated. There is a security patrol available 24/7. The late-night transport/escort service is available.
There is a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Veteran's Affairs are available to the students of University of Mary Washington.
All in all, campus life at University of Mary Washington is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at University of Mary Washington.
Career Counselling
At University of Mary Washington, there is both group career counseling for full-time students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. There is campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be a great asset for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
Job Placement
Acquiring information about the potential income after graduation can help you decide if a specific school is the right one for your career aspirations.
The starting salary for graduates employed within six months of graduating at this school averages 51,577 USD.
$51,577
Average Starting Salary After 6 Months of Graduation
FAQ
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University of Mary Washington is located in Fredericksburg, VA.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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According to the latest information, the acceptance rate for University of Mary Washington is 79%.
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According to the latest information, the freshman retention rate for University of Mary Washington is 84.4%.
Contact Information
University of Mary Washington
1301 College Avenue
Fredericksburg , VA
22401
540 654-1000
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.