More selective than 98% of Virginia colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $87,000. College Scorecard.
Higher than 93% of Virginia colleges we cover and 98% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 100% of Virginia colleges we cover and 98% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Washington and Lee University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 6,820 applicants, Washington and Lee University admitted 1,184 and 502 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1430–1540 on the SAT or 33–34 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Washington and Lee University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: Virginia residents studying full-time at eligible private nonprofit Virginia colleges may receive the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG): up to $5,250 a year for undergraduates in 2025-26, depending on state funding. Not included in the prices above. State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), VTAG
Washington and Lee University majors, earnings & careers
Washington and Lee University offers 34 bachelor's majors across 8 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 11
- Science & Math · 8
- Arts & Design · 3
- Business & Finance · 3
- Engineering · 3
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 3
- Communications & Media · 2
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at Washington and Lee University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration | $121,699 | — |
| Accounting | $118,946 | $16,750 |
| Economics | $115,837 | $23,399 |
| History | $100,087 | — |
| Political Science | $95,190 | — |
Quick list of all 34 majors
- Accounting$118,946
- Area Studies—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology—
- Business Administration$121,699
- Chemistry—
- Classics—
- Computer Science—
- East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean)—
- Economics$115,837
- Engineering—
- Engineering Physics—
- Engineering Science—
- English—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- German—
- History$100,087
- Journalism—
- Mathematics—
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Neuroscience—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$95,190
- Psychology (Research)—
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Religious Studies—
- Sociology and Anthropology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art—
- Theatre—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Accounting → Accountant / auditor
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.0% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Lexington
2 bedrooms $1,057.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 43 inches of rain a year, 14 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Lexington City
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Lexington City at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Washington and Lee University with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Virginia by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington and Lee University | 14% | $23,781 | 94% | $94,810 | This school |
| Riverside College of Health Careers | 13% | $20,744 | 100% | $66,072 | |
| University of Richmond | 22% | $31,309 | 85% | $76,178 | |
| Hampden-Sydney College | 41% | $22,400 | 62% | $67,640 | |
| University of Lynchburg | 43% | $22,235 | 57% | $56,380 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Washington and Lee University would cost you $3,037 more per year than Riverside College of Health Careers, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Washington and Lee University.
- Washington and Lee University gives aided families $56,945 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Virginia resident | Washington and Lee University | Riverside College of Health Careers | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sticker price | $87,000 | $27,018 | +$59,982 |
| Average grants | −$63,219 | −$6,274 | −$56,945 |
| You pay | $23,781 | $20,744 | +$3,037 |
“+” means Washington and Lee University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Washington and Lee University
What is the Washington and Lee University acceptance rate?
Washington and Lee University accepts 14% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 1,184 of 6,820 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1430–1540 on the SAT or 33–34 on the ACT.
How much does Washington and Lee University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $87,000 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $23,781 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $0 and families earning $110k+ pay $40,646.
How much do Washington and Lee University graduates earn?
Former Washington and Lee University students earn a median $94,810 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Washington and Lee University graduation rate?
94% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 97% return for their second year.
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Washington and Lee University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/washington-and-lee-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).