George Mason University (GMU) vs. Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)

Two Rivalry Colleges in

  • Both George Mason University (GMU) and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) are public.
  • Both schools are located in Virginia.
  • GMU has more expensive tuition of $39,397 than VCU ($39,042).
  • GMU has tighter acceptance rate of 81.32% than VCU (83.90%).
  • GMU has higher SAT scores of 1,250 than VCU (1,160).
  • GMU is larger with 39,049 students than VCU (28,082 students).
George Mason University

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Virginia Commonwealth University

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#145 in National Universities
#11 in Virginia
Rankings#218 in National Universities
#14 in Virginia
Public, 4-yearsSchool TypePublic, 4-years
Fairfax, VALocationRichmond, VA
GMUKnown asVCU
1 Year Certificate
Bachelor's
Post-Bachelor Certificate
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
Doctorate (Professional Practice)
Offered Degrees2-4 Year Certificate
Bachelor's
Post-Bachelor Certificate
Master's
Post-Master Certificate
Doctorate (Research)
Doctorate (Professional Practice)
Research University (very high research activity)Carnegie ClassificationResearch University (very high research activity)
Tuition & Fees
$13,815 Virginia residents
$39,397 out-of-state
Undergraduate$16,458 Virginia residents
$39,042 out-of-state
$17,446 Virginia residents
$39,397 out-of-state
Graduate$16,753 Virginia residents
$31,589 out-of-state
$9,810Financial Aid$11,794
Admission
$70 undergraduate
$75 graduate
Application Fee$70 undergraduate
$70 graduate
81.32%Acceptance Rate83.90%
22.59%Yield32.28%
1,250 SAT, 28 ACTTest Scores1,160 SAT, 26 ACT
Student Population
39,049Total Students28,082
27,014Undergraduate20,958
12,035Graduate7,124
7,421Online Enrollment2,680
Graduation Rate & Outcomes
70%Graduation Rate64%
15%Transfer-out Rate20%
85%Retention Rate85%
$63,900Average Earning after Graduation$49,700
Special Learning Opportunities and Student Services
Online Degree/Certificate Program Offered for Both Undergraduate and GraduateDistance Learning (Online Classes)Online Degree/Certificate Program Offered for Both Undergraduate and Graduate
ROTC
Study Abroad
Weekend/Evening College
Teacher Certifiate
Special OpportunitiesROTC
Study Abroad
Weekend/Evening College
Teacher Certifiate
✔ (Dormitory Capacity: 6,354)
$7,810 average annual costs
On-Campus Living✔ (Dormitory Capacity: 5,702)
$7,301 average annual costs
Not offered or not ReportedMeal PlanNot offered or not Reported
Faculties and Staffs
16 to 1Students to Faculty Ratio16 to 1
1,399 Full-time
1,294 Part-time
Number of Faculties2,183 Full-time
710 Part-time
4,309 Full-time
1,425 Part-time
Number of Staffs6,266 Full-time
835 Part-time
$109,233 for Faculties
$77,607 Part-time
Average Salary$96,025 for Faculties
$73,850 Part-time
All data used in our site is from IPEDS (The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System), U.S. Department of Education, academic year 2022-2023