Key Facts

Mason's students, faculty, staff, and alumni go beyond the desire to know and understand, striving to make a difference.

#1 Public VA University for Diversity and Innovation

US. Times and World Report

Mason is the largest public research university in the Commonwealth of Virginia with 39,150 students from all 50 states and 130 countries.

Mason boasts a 90% admission rate, a testament to its commitment to access and impact in the community.

Mason’s six-year graduation rate is well above the national average, with no disparity based on ethnicity or economic status.
24% of Mason undergraduate students are first generation students. 29% are eligible for federal need-based Pell Grants, which is greater than the state average.

Nearly 2,800 of Mason’s incoming students in fall 2022 were transfer students, including more than 700 students in Mason’s award-winning ADVANCE transfer pathway program with Northern Virginia Community College.

Even now, Mason continues to grow. Spring 2022 headcount and credit hour enrollment went up 1.6%. Out of state enrollment went up 12.6% and international enrollment shot up 25%. Looking forward to fall 2023, total applications went up 11%.

Best University for Non-Traditional Students

#4 public in America (#8 overall), #1 in VA,

per College Factual's National Rankings

87 percent of graduates

report positive career outcomes within six months

Mason drives economic growth in the region. In a survey of the graduating class of 2022, 77% are employed in Virginia, Maryland, or Washington, D.C.

87% of those surveyed had a positive career outcome at or within 6 months of graduation, meaning they were employed, continuing education, or serving in the military or with a volunteer organization.

Mason produces more tech graduates than any other four-year institution in Virginia. Almost 40% of Mason students major in STEM fields. Mason graduates most often go into the industries of government/military, technology, healthcare/pharmaceuticals/biotechnology, or education.

Mason is conveniently located within a few hours of all the major economic and cultural centers on the East Coast of the United States. We host 500+ employers through recruitment networking events, Career Fairs, and the On-Campus Interviewing Program.

Mason graduates earn among the highest starting salaries of graduates from Virginia public universities; the median salary reported for the Class of 2022 was $72,000.

#5 in ROI for engineering majors

per Affordable Colleges Online

One of the youngest R-1 ranked universities

Mason is a nationally ranked R1 research university. Total research expenditures for FY22 were $178 million, a 12.4% increase over FY21.

The university is expanding Mason Square in Arlington to create a place where students, faculty, entrepreneurs, and tech powerhouses can come together to learn, develop, and grow together.

Cutting-edge research conducted at Mason has led to groundbreaking advancements in cancer detection, treatment of Lyme disease, concussion protocols, and COVID-19 early detection.

The National Science Foundation ranks Mason 10th among U.S. public universities in research growth over the past decade.

Mason offers 132 degree programs at the master’s, doctoral, and professional level, and more than 100 graduate-level certificates. Eight of our graduate programs have been designated as best in Virginia.
Mason is in the top 10 public universities for cybersecurity programs, and among the top 20 for five different engineering and education online programs among public institutions.

Our students gain experience through research, fieldwork, internships, service learning, study-abroad programs, and alternative spring breaks.

200+ Study Abroad Programs

ranging from spring breaks to year-long excursions

22 NCAA Division 1 Teams

Mason is home to 34 club sports with more than 800 participants every year. There are also 25 intramural activities with more than 2,800 participants.

Mason has more than 230,000 square feet of indoor athletics facility space available free to students, along with faculty and staff memberships.

George Mason University is one of just four Division I schools in the nation to boast a perfect 100 on the Athlete Ally's Athletic Equality Index and a perfect 5 on the Campus Pride Index.

Major League Cricket (MLC) and Mason are working together to study the feasibility of a new multi-purpose cricket and baseball facility to host MLC matches, Mason games, and other regional events.

#1 Ranked Pep Band

in the US, per the NCAA