Public
Accredited · Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Fredericksburg, Virginia
86.3% Acceptance Rate
University of Mary Washington — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
86.3%Acceptance Rate
3.71Avg GPA
1241Avg SAT
27Avg ACT
$29,234Annual Cost
$60,613Grad Salary
20.2%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
86.3%
Avg GPA
3.71
Avg SAT
1241
Avg ACT
27
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
SAT Middle 50%
1140–1330
ACT Middle 50%
23–31
Avg Net Price
$21,108
Need-Based Aid
20.2% receive Pell
University of Mary Washington is a public, liberal arts university in Virginia known for its commitment to academic excellence and personalized education. With a strong focus on critical inquiry and student-faculty collaboration, the university provides a formative education that prepares students for professional and personal success.
University of Mary Washington Acceptance Rate
Admission at University of Mary Washington is inclusive by design. 86.3% of applicants who meet basic eligibility are accepted.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in. They are worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 86.3% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.71 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.51 – 3.70
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.26
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
University of Mary Washington Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Mark November 15 for University of Mary Washington (Early Decision — other plans are listed below), with decisions typically out by December 15.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 99 days left — Early Decision
Early Decision
November 15
Decision by: December 15
Regular Decision
February 1
Decision by: April 1
Early Action
November 15
Decision by: January 31
💡 The scholarship deadline (January 15, 2026) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Mary Washington College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Mary Washington College is 3.71. That makes admissions here highly selective. Most admitted students carry mostly A's with the occasional B.
Between 3.41 and 3.71? A strong standardized test score is worth prioritizing.
Note the scale: this figure reflects an unweighted 4.0 GPA. Add AP or IB coursework and the equivalent weighted GPA usually lands around 3.91–4.11.Mary Washington College GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Highly selective. This GPA sits within the typical admitted band.
Recommended Strategy: A top-5th-percentile SAT/ACT score makes the strongest case here.
This range is a rough map. Where you land determines what else needs to carry weight in your application.:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.71 – 4.00
Competitive Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.51 – 3.70
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.31 – 3.50
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.30
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- The Honors Program supplemental essay is a distinctive "give a 15-minute talk" prompt, not a standard personal statement; the program enrolls 80?100 first-years annually with a typical 3.9+ GPA bar, though standardized test scores are not required for Honors consideration.
- A separate Track B Honors pathway allows students to apply after their first UMW semester with a lower 3.2 UMW GPA, an essay, involvement record, and a faculty recommendation.
- Binding Early Decision requires a multi-party signed agreement (student, parent/guardian, counselor) submitted before the application - a common source of last-minute delays.
- UMW offers a distinct Summer Transition Program (~60 students) and a separate Presidential Emerging Leaders Program (PELP); students may apply to both STP and Honors simultaneously.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: Course rigor is read alongside the number itself. A 3.8 with a demanding schedule can beat a 4.0 without one.
- Trajectory Matters: Grades that climb toward graduation tend to matter more than a flat average. The trajectory tells its own story.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Mary Washington College
Admission Chance Predictor
Built from University of Mary Washington's own verified admissions data — adjust the sliders below
--%
Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
University of Mary Washington (Mary Washington College) Test Requirements
Scores aren't just a formality at Mary Washington College. Landing within or above the 2026 admitted class's middle 50% keeps you fully competitive, even where submission is optional.
Can I Get Into Mary Washington College Without SAT or ACT?
Mary Washington College considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
University of Mary Washington Average SAT Score: 1241
Admitted students at University of Mary Washington average a 1241 SAT (out of 1600).
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1241 — Slightly Competitive
A 1241 average tracks near the middle of the national distribution.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1330 SAT or 31 ACT) to stand out. Below average? University of Mary Washington allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
Scored under 1140? A retake is worth it at Mary Washington College. Two or three sittings is standard for competitive applicants, and there's no cap on how many times you can test.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 590 | 540 | 640 |
| SAT Reading | 645 | 600 | 690 |
| SAT Composite | 1241 | 1140 | 1330 |
A score under 1140 puts you in the lower quarter of admits; 1330+ puts you ahead of three-quarters of the admitted class. (These percentiles mark where a given share of the admitted class scored at or below.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1250
Can I get into University of Mary Washington (Mary Washington College) with a 1350 SAT?
At 1350, your SAT is squarely in Mary Washington College's favor. That said, admissions staff read the full file. GPA, activities, and essays still carry real weight even with a strong score in hand.
University of Mary Washington (Mary Washington College) ACT Requirements
Mary Washington College's admitted students average an ACT of 27.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 27 — Competitive
An average of 27 is a respectable, above-average national benchmark.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 24 | 19 | 28 |
| ACT English | 28 | 23 | 32 |
| ACT Composite | 27 | 23 | 31 |
Can I get into University of Mary Washington with a 31 ACT?
At 31, you're in the top quarter of Mary Washington College's admitted class by ACT score. That's a real advantage, but admissions still reads GPA, essays, and activities alongside it.
The ACT's four sections, English, Math, Reading, and Science, are each scored independently on a 1–36 scale, and admissions staff do notice a lopsided breakdown. If one section trails the others significantly, that's worth addressing before you apply, particularly for STEM programs where Science carries extra weight.
Beyond the number itself, Mary Washington College weighs your transcript rigor, activities, recommendations, and essays just as heavily. The ACT opens the door, and the rest of your file decides what happens next.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Mary Washington College
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Getting into Mary Washington College isn't the hard part. Building a solid academic foundation and securing aid early is where the real strategy lives.
Write the Honors Program's TED-talk essay as a genuine standalone pitch, not a repurposed main essay
UMW's Honors Program supplemental essay asks applicants to write the introduction to a 15-minute talk they'd give on a topic of their choosing - a distinctive, specific prompt format (not a generic "why us" or "tell us about yourself" essay) that rewards genuine intellectual specificity over broad personal narrative. Students should treat this as its own creative-writing challenge requiring a real, narrow topic and a clear takeaway message for the audience, rather than adapting their Common App personal statement to fit the prompt loosely.
Hit the 3.9 GPA threshold or consider the Track B post-matriculation Honors path instead
UMW's Honors Program for incoming first-years specifically reviews students with a 3.9 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) or higher who've completed the most rigorous curriculum available to them, enrolling only 80?100 students per year - a genuinely high bar. Students below this threshold shouldn't rule out Honors entirely: UMW offers a distinct "Track B" path allowing students to apply after their first semester at UMW with a lower 3.2 UMW GPA bar, an application essay, a record of involvement, and a faculty recommendation letter - a real second chance built into the program structure.
Sign the Early Decision Agreement correctly if applying binding ED
UMW's binding Early Decision process requires inviting your counselor to sign the Early Decision Agreement before submitting the application, and the form must carry signatures from the student, a parent or legal guardian, and the high school counselor - a multi-party signature requirement that can create last-minute submission delays if not started early. Students planning to apply ED should initiate this signature process (electronic or printed) at least a few weeks before the deadline, since gathering three separate signatures under deadline pressure is a common self-inflicted bottleneck.
Consider the Summer Transition Program (STP) or Presidential Emerging Leaders Program (PELP) as separate value-adds
UMW offers a Summer Transition Program (about 60 students, beginning with a two-week summer session before first semester and continuing through year one) and a separate Presidential Emerging Leaders Program (PELP), a one-year leadership development track - and students may be considered for both STP and the Honors Program simultaneously, since these aren't mutually exclusive. Students interested in a structured transition or leadership credential should apply to these specifically within the Common App's special programs section rather than assuming general admission consideration covers them.
Expert Insight:
Because "James Monroe Scholars" is a similarly-named honors program at William & Mary (not UMW), and multiple Virginia public universities have overlapping honors program branding, applicants researching UMW's Honors Program should verify they're reading UMW-specific program pages rather than conflating details from a similarly-styled program at a different Virginia school - a genuine source of confusion given how many Virginia public universities market "honors" and "scholars" programs with comparable language.
Mary Washington College Profile
Full Name
University of Mary Washington (Mary Washington College)
City
Fredericksburg
State
Virginia
ZIP Code
22401-5300
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Is a Mary Washington College Degree Worth It?
Whether Mary Washington College is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals. Here's the data to weigh it against.
Admitted students' families report a median household income around $83,800, and graduates see a 2.33% unemployment rate.
How much does a degree from Mary Washington College Cost?
Listed tuition runs $29,234/year at Mary Washington College. Factor in Pell and federal grant aid, and most students land closer to $21,108.
At Mary Washington College, 20.2% receive a Pell Grant and 30.8% carry federal loans. Filing FAFSA early and naming Mary Washington College on it improves your shot at both.
How much does a Mary Washington College Graduate earn?
Ten years out from enrollment, Mary Washington College graduates report a median income of $60,613, about 49% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than University of Mary Washington. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham-Southern College | Birmingham, AL | 1197 | 24 |
| University of Mobile | Mobile, AL | 1220 | 24 |
| Samford University | Birmingham, AL | 1203 | 26 |
| John Brown University | Siloam Springs, AR | 1222 | 26 |
| Ouachita Baptist University | Arkadelphia, AR | 1212 | 25 |
| California Lutheran University | Thousand Oaks, CA | 1224 | 26 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA | 1194 | 26 |
| University of Redlands | Redlands, CA | 1231 | 28 |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | Willimantic, CT | 1200 | NA |
| University of Hartford | West Hartford, CT | 1207 | 29 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as University of Mary Washington. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | 1251 | 26 |
| University of Redlands | Redlands, CA | 1231 | 28 |
| University of South Florida | Tampa, FL | 1235 | 27 |
| Bradley University | Peoria, IL | 1237 | 28 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago, IL | 1242 | 29 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than University of Mary Washington. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama in Huntsville | Huntsville, AL | 1321 | 28 |
| The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 1287 | 28 |
| Auburn University | Auburn, AL | 1318 | 28 |
| University of the Pacific | Stockton, CA | 1303 | 27 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego, CA | 1278 | 26 |
Degree Programs at Mary Washington College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Masters Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Mary Washington College Admissions
University of Mary Washington graduates earn a moderate median salary of $60,613/year, with some variation by field.
Tuition at University of Mary Washington is relatively affordable, around $29,234/year.
20.2% receive a Pell Grant here, below the ~35% national average. University of Mary Washington skews toward higher-income students, though merit aid may still be worth checking.
University of Mary Washington's acceptance rate is 86.3%, comparatively higher than most selective universities. Admission is more attainable here.
The average GPA of admitted University of Mary Washington students is 3.71, reflecting a competitive applicant pool.
There's no strict cutoff, but a GPA at or above 3.41 puts you in the standard applicant pool at University of Mary Washington. Below that, your essays and recommendations need to work harder to provide context.
A GPA of 3.31 or below makes admission tougher at University of Mary Washington, but strong test scores, activities, and essays, plus AP/IB coursework, can still keep you in contention.
University of Mary Washington weighs the SAT heavily. Scoring above 1241, and within the 1140–1330 range, keeps you competitive.
University of Mary Washington's deadline is November 15 (Early Decision), with decisions out by December 15.
For priority financial aid consideration, get your FAFSA in before January 15, 2026. That's University of Mary Washington's scholarship priority date.
Transferring in is a well-trodden path here. Line up your transcripts, recommendations, and a strong personal statement before applying.
The biggest levers are academic performance, a clear extracurricular focus, and essays that stand out, plus a solid test score where the school considers one.
Explore Other Options
Acceptance Rate of all Virginia Colleges
Average SAT Score of Virginia Colleges
Average ACT Score
Admissions deadlines of Colleges in Virginia
Bachelor Programs in Virginia
Test Optional Colleges in Virginia
SAT Score Wise Best Colleges
ACT Score Wise Best Colleges
Rolling Admissions Colleges in Virginia