In-state vs. out-of-state tuition at W&M
William & Mary charges $25,914 a year in published tuition and fees for Virginia residents, about $12,957 a semester, and $51,038 a year for students from other states, about $25,519 a semester. That is a difference of $25,124 a year. About 39% of first-year students came from out of state. You may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships. Compare out-of-state tuition at 100 public universities →
What makes W&M different
- Design your own major. More than 115 programs, including the option to design your own major; 45% major in STEM.
- A joint degree abroad. A joint degree with the University of St Andrews in Scotland.
- Fully test-optional. 40% of the class of 2029 applied without scores.
What W&M students study
The most common bachelor's degrees (class of 2024): business administration and management (193), biology (171), political science (138), psychology (137), kinesiology (115) and history (101). Source: IPEDS Completions, first majors only.
You may thrive at W&M if…
- You want liberal arts depth at a public university.
- You'd like a historic small-city setting.
- You're drawn to government, the sciences or international studies.
Worth asking about
- How does the St Andrews joint degree work?
- What does the Pell Grant Guarantee cover for Virginia students?
How W&M compares with similar universities
William & Mary is the only public university in this group, so Virginia residents pay much less. See early decision, early action and test policies at all 19 universities.
FAQ
What is William & Mary's acceptance rate? 37.0% for fall 2025: 6,245 of 16,895 first-year applicants were admitted, according to its Common Data Set 2025–26. Source For fall 2024 it was 34.1%.
What is William & Mary's early decision acceptance rate? 47.0% for fall 2024: 746 of 1,586 early decision applicants were admitted, compared with 34.1% of all applicants. Early decision is binding, and the early applicant pool differs from the regular one, so neither rate predicts any one student's chances. Source
Does W&M require the SAT or ACT? No. William & Mary has made its test-optional policy permanent. This applies to students applying in 2026–27 for fall 2027. Source
How much is W&M tuition per semester? About $12,957 a semester for Virginia residents and $25,519 for out-of-state students, based on published yearly tuition and fees of $25,914 and $51,038 before aid.
Is W&M an R1 university? Yes. In the 2025 Carnegie Classifications, William & Mary is an R1 university, the group with the highest research spending and doctoral degrees. What R1 means →
How many students go to W&M? About 7,100 undergraduates (fall 2024).
What is W&M known for? Its liberal arts tradition, history and the St Andrews joint degree.
How much does W&M cost? Published tuition and fees are $25,914 a year in-state and $51,038 out-of-state, before any aid.
Wondering if a liberal arts education fits you?
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