Liberal arts college
#10 Lowest net price for middle-income families in AmericaWashington and Lee University
Lexington, VA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $23,781 a year
Median debt at graduation: $19,500 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Upcoming admissions events
- Performing Arts Visit DayOctober 24, 2026 · 9:30 AM–5:00 PMJoin us Saturday, October 24, for Performing Arts Visit Day at W&L.More about Performing Arts Visit DayAdd to calendar
View all upcoming events · From the college's admissions website.
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for accounting in America#5 of 1,132
- Best colleges for business in America#15 of 1,563
- Best small colleges in America#10 of 906
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#16 of 1,238
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#10 of 682
- Best colleges in America#32 of 1,829
Show 25 more
- Best test-optional colleges in America#28 of 1,481
- Best colleges for psychology in America#27 of 1,418
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#28 of 1,358
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#39 of 1,829
- Best colleges for art and design in America#26 of 1,187
- Best colleges for English in America#31 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#31 of 1,247
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#31 of 1,215
- Best colleges for music in America#28 of 1,063
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#31 of 1,162
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#19 of 690
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#31 of 1,116
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in America#13 of 430
- Best colleges for engineering in America#24 of 749
- Best colleges for computer science in America#25 of 750
- Best colleges for economics in America#31 of 788
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#34 of 704
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#37 of 704
- Most selective colleges in America#51 of 683
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#45 of 598
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#54 of 693
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#79 of 681
- Best value colleges in America#120 of 674
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#149 of 684
- Best value colleges in the South in America#35 of 153
In Virginia
- Best colleges in Virginia#1 of 51
- Best colleges for business in Virginia#1 of 47
- Best test-optional colleges in Virginia#1 of 43
- Best colleges for psychology in Virginia#1 of 41
- Best colleges for history in Virginia#1 of 40
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Virginia#1 of 38
Show 23 more
- Best colleges for English in Virginia#1 of 38
- Best colleges for mathematics in Virginia#1 of 38
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Virginia#1 of 38
- Best colleges for chemistry in Virginia#1 of 36
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Virginia#1 of 34
- Best colleges for music in Virginia#1 of 34
- Best colleges for art and design in Virginia#1 of 33
- Best small colleges in Virginia#1 of 30
- Best colleges for accounting in Virginia#1 of 27
- Best colleges for economics in Virginia#1 of 27
- Best colleges for engineering in Virginia#1 of 22
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Virginia#1 of 22
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Virginia#1 of 20
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in Virginia#1 of 19
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Virginia#1 of 19
- Best colleges for computer science in Virginia#1 of 18
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in Virginia#1 of 18
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Virginia#2 of 22
- Most selective colleges in Virginia#2 of 22
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Virginia#5 of 51
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in Virginia#3 of 20
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in Virginia#3 of 20
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in Virginia#5 of 21
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.94%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.97%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,498 · ACT 33.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.7 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$40,378
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $87,000 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 1,898 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 49% · Women 51% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 82% |
| Total students | 2,277 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $23,781 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $87,000 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $19,500 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 94% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 88% |
| First-year retention | 97% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $94,810 |
| Admission rate | 14% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $60 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 11% |
| Average SAT | 1498 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 710–760 |
| SAT math | 720–780 |
| ACT composite | 33–34 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Very good · Top 21% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Business administration | |
| Accounting | |
| Economics | |
| History | |
| Political science |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Area studies, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Classics, Computer science, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Engineering (general), Engineering Physics, Engineering Science, English, Experimental psychology, Fine arts, Geology and earth science, German, Interdisciplinary studies, Journalism, Mathematics, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Neuroscience, Philosophy, Physics, Public relations, Religious studies, Romance languages, Sociology and Anthropology, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Social sciences | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology | |
| Physical sciences |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 0% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 1% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $18,685 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Old Dominion Athletic Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 7 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 88%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $869,556IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 78% of studentsBeds ÷ undergraduates; not how many live on campus |
| Nearest major airport | Richmond International Airport (RIC)About 118 miles away |
| Closer regional airport | Lynchburg Regional Airport - Preston Glenn Field (LYH)About 35 miles away |
| Town population | 7,525Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | GreensboroAbout 119 miles away |
| Typical weather | 34°F in January · 75°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Lexington, VA |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 1.34 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.45 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.45 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Washington and Lee University’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A+). It ranks in the top 2% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Washington and Lee University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $23,781 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Washington and Lee University?
- Washington and Lee University admitted 14% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Washington and Lee University’s graduates do?
- 94% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $94,810; the median federal debt at graduation is $19,500.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 234207
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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