Liberal arts college
#4 Best colleges for communications and journalism in MarylandWashington College
Chestertown, MD · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $27,898 a year
Median debt at graduation: $26,956 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
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
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#58 of 704
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#92 of 704
- Best small colleges in America#120 of 906
- Best colleges for business in America#237 of 1,563
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#197 of 1,238
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#117 of 690
Show 12 more
- Best colleges for psychology in America#262 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#341 of 1,829
- Best colleges for English in America#248 of 1,283
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#264 of 1,358
- Best test-optional colleges in America#298 of 1,481
- Best colleges for art and design in America#246 of 1,187
- Best colleges for history in America#261 of 1,247
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#260 of 1,215
- Best colleges for music in America#241 of 1,063
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#265 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#259 of 1,116
- Best colleges for computer science in America#187 of 750
In Maryland
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Maryland#2 of 16
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Maryland#3 of 16
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Maryland#3 of 15
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Maryland#4 of 18
- Best small colleges in Maryland#3 of 13
- Best colleges for business in Maryland#6 of 23
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.65%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.84%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,280 · ACT 29
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.8 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$26,477
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: $73,314 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) | 916 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 44% · Women 56% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 16% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 57% |
| Total students | 916 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $27,898 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $73,314 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $26,956 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 65% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 77% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 73% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 84% |
| First-year retention | 84% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $65,518 |
| Admission rate | 57% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 23% |
| Average SAT | 1280 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 580–710 |
| SAT math | 560–680 |
| ACT composite | 27–31 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (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 |
|---|---|
| Economics | |
| Business (general) | |
| Political science | |
| International relations | |
| Biology | |
| Sociology | |
| History | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| English | |
| Psychology |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Area studies, Biochemistry, Business administration, Chemistry, Communication studies, Computer science, Data Science, Ecology and evolutionary biology, Fine arts, German, Interdisciplinary studies, Liberal arts, Linguistics, Mathematics, Music, Neuroscience, Philosophy, Physics, Romance languages, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Social sciences | |
| Business | |
| Natural resources | |
| Biology | |
| English |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 1% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 2% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $18,250 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Centennial Conference |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 8 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 25%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 80%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $311,680IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)About 32 miles away |
| Town population | 5,594Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | BaltimoreAbout 30 miles away |
| Typical weather | 34°F in January · 78°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Chestertown, MD |
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 | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 1.08 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 1.08 | 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 College’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 19% 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 College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $27,898 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 College?
- Washington College admitted 57% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Washington College’s graduates do?
- 65% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $65,518; the median federal debt at graduation is $26,956.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 164216
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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