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Key Facts

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

students taking a selfie outside on a sunny day.
George Mason is Ranked a ĢAV 50 Public ĢAV
per the Wall Street Journal
  • George Mason is the largest public research university in the Commonwealth of Virginia with over 40,000 students from all 50 states and 130 countries.
     
  • George Mason boasts a nearly 90% admission rate for undergrads, a testament to its commitment to access and impact in the community.
     
  • George Mason’s six-year graduation rate is well above the national average, with no disparity based on ethnicity or economic status.
     
  • Currently, about one in four George Mason students is in the first generation of their family to attend college, and 34% of George Mason students qualify for federal Pell Grants, which are awarded to undergraduates with exceptional financial need.
     
  • Nearly 3,000 of George Mason’s incoming students in fall 2024 were transfer students, including more than 900 students in George Mason’s award-winning ADVANCE transfer pathway program with Northern Virginia Community College.
a group of students all wearing matching green Mason Advance t'shirts
#1 in Virginia for Economic Diversity
#1 in Virginia for Economic Diversity

per the New York Times

Best in Virginia for Social Mobility
U.S. News and World Report
85 percent of graduates
report positive career outcomes within six months
  • George 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.
     
  • George Mason drives economic growth in the region. In a survey of recent graduates, 85% are employed in Virginia, Maryland, or Washington, D.C.
People sit in a row of auditorium seating. Their faces are blurred as the camera focusses on their hands, all using laptops or smartphones.
#1 Online College in Virginia
#1 Online College in Virginia

per Affordable Colleges Online

George Mason's Antonin Scalia Law School is among the top 10 public law schools in the country.

  • 85% of recent graduates 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.
     
  • George 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.
     
  • George Mason graduates earn a median starting annual salary of $70,000, among the highest starting salaries of graduates from Virginia public universities.
One of the youngest R1 ranked universities
  • George Mason is a nationally ranked R1 research university. Total research funding for 2024 was $262 million, doubling its research expenditures over the last five years.
     
  • The Fuse building, opening in 2025 at Mason Square in Arlington, will create a place where students, faculty, entrepreneurs, and tech powerhouses can come together to learn, develop, and grow together.
     
Student talks with a study abroad representative at the Study Abroad fair on the quad outside the Fenwick Library. A sign promotes a trip to Italy for a Geology Field Camp.
200+ Study Abroad Programs
200+ Study Abroad Programs

ranging from spring breaks to year-long excursions

George Mason is ranked 25th nationally among public institutions and 1st in Virginia for innovation, per U.S. News and World Report.

  • Cutting-edge research conducted at George 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 George Mason 10th among U.S. public universities in research growth over the past decade.
     
  • George Mason is No. 1 in the DMV in entrepreneurship, human rights law, public policy administration, and more, according to EduRank.
     
  • George Mason is nationally recognized for its work in cybersecurity and is a leader in Virginia in quantum science education and research, robotics, autonomous systems, and AI education and research.
     
  • Our students gain experience through research, fieldwork, internships, service learning, study-abroad programs, and alternative spring breaks.
22 Division 1 Athletics Teams
  • George Mason fields 22 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 varsity teams, competing in the Atlantic 10 (A-10) Conference since 2013, with additional affiliations in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) and the Mid-American Conference (MAC). George Mason was a founding member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in 1985.
     
  • The Patriots possess a strong record of athletic success, including NCAA national championships in women’s soccer (1985) and men’s indoor track and field (1996), and first regular season titles in both men’s soccer and basketball (2025). The men’s basketball team made a historic NCAA Final Four run in 2006, finishing the season ranked eighth nationally. Men’s volleyball has reached the NCAA Final Four championship round three times.
     
  •  To date, 23 George Mason student-athletes have won 35 individual national titles, and 15 earned Academic All-America honors.

George Mason is one of only four Division 1 schools nationwide to earn a perfect score on the Athlete Ally Athletic Equality Index, and the only university in Virginia – one of only 30 nationwide – recognized as a “Best of the Best” by the Campus Pride Index.

A Patriots basketball player fends off a defender from VCU, dribbling the ball down the court.

In 2025, the George Mason men's basketball team won their first A-10 regular season title, earning them a trip to the A-10 Championship.

  • Student-athletes train and compete in more than 230,000 square feet of indoor athletic facilities, accessible to students, faculty, and staff.
     
  • Mason Recreation supports over 30 club sports, with more than 900 members, and 25 intramural programs engaging more than 2,800 participants.