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Academic Indicators

Washington and Lee University voluntarily publishes a number of key undergraduate academic performance indicators, including peer performance metrics, trended over time. The collection and reporting of select admissions statistics, enrollment data, and financial information follow different cycles and, as such, it is important to note the time period identified for individual metrics.

The University considers among its peers the top liberal arts institutions in the country, including Amherst College, Barnard College, Bates College, Bowdoin College, Carleton College, Claremont McKenna College, Colby College, Colgate University, Davidson College, Grinnell College, Hamilton College, Harvey Mudd College, Haverford College, Middlebury College, Pomona College, Smith College, Swarthmore College, University of Richmond, Vassar College, Wellesley College, Wesleyan University, and Williams College.

Admissions Applications

The number of undergraduate applicants has averaged nearly 8,000 over the last three years, attracting an increasingly diverse and capable group of students from varied backgrounds. Interest in and competition for the esteemed Johnson Scholarship as well as the W&L Promise continues to generate significant interest from a large number of exceptionally talented individuals. The University received 8,969 applications for the class entering in 2025, the largest in history.

W&L Applications
Year of Enrollment Number of Applicants
Fall 2016 5101
Fall 2017 5455
Fall 2018 5855
Fall 2019 6178
Fall 2020 4998
Fall 2021 6621
Fall 2022 7224
Fall 2023 6825
Fall 2024 8140
Fall 2025 8969

Admissions Selectivity

Enrollment of new first-time, first-year students remains highly competitive with large numbers of exceptional applicants from varied backgrounds. Over the past decade, the percentage of admitted students has ranged from 14% - 24%, while the percentage of admitted students who enroll averages 40%. Acceptance rates over the past two years have averaged 14% with the number of seats available for new students typically capped at 500 annually.

Admissions Selectivity
Year of ApplicationYield (% of Accepted Students Who Enrolled)Selectivity (% of Applicants Accepted)
Fall 2016 39 24
Fall 2017 39 22
Fall 2018 38 21
Fall 2019 40 19
Fall 2020 37 24
Fall 2021 39 19
Fall 2022 39 17
Fall 2023 42 17
Fall 2024 41 14
Fall 2025 41 14

Enrollment by State

The Class of 2029 (first-time, full-time, first-year fall 2025 cohort) represents 42 states and U.S. territories and 49 different foreign countries.

Class of 2029: Top States of Origin
State Students
Virginia 95
Nonresident or Abroad 42
North Carolina 35
Texas 34
Georgia 32
New York 25
Pennsylvania 23
Maryland 23
New Jersey 22
Florida 20
Tennessee 19
Connecticut 13
California 12
South Carolina 11
All Others 93

First-Year Enrollment by Census Region

Approximately 60% of students in the Class of 2029 (first-time, full-time, first-year fall 2025 cohort) come from the South, 20% from the Northeast, 6% from the Midwest, 5% from the West, and 8% are international.

Enrollment History

Over the last five years, undergraduate enrollment has averaged 1,885 while Law School enrollment has averaged 372.  Undergraduate enrollment at the fall 2025 census was 1,916, the largest undergraduate enrollment in W&L history. Additionally, there are 499 undergraduate students in the Class of 2029 (first-time, full-time, first-year fall 2025 cohort) and 132 first-time law students. The University consistently meets its enrollment, persistence, and completion goals.

Enrollment History
Year of Enrollment Undergraduate Enrollment Law Enrollment
2015 1854 318
2016 1830 330
2017 1827 393
2018 1829 394
2019 1860 404
2020 1822 361
2021 1857 381
2022 1867 376
2023 1898 379
2024 1886 355
2025 1916 370

Financial Aid of any Type for First-Time, First-Year Students

Financial aid packages may include federal, state, local and institutional grants, as well as student loans and work-study. Data reported in this academic indicator represents information reported to the federal government via IPEDS. The reporting year always lags behind the current award levels. Of the class entering in fall of 2023, 64% received at least one type of financial aid award.

Institutional Grants for First-Year Students

In 2023-24, 60% of first year students received an institutional grant at an average of $64,471 per recipient. The W&L Promise provides a minimum grant of tuition to any undergraduate student admitted to W&L with a total family income below $150,000 and assets typical for their income.

First-Year Students Receiving Pell Grants

Sixty-four (64%) percent of all Washington and Lee first-year students received financial aid in 2023-24. Approximately 13% of first-year students received Pell grants.

Total Grant Aid Awarded

In 2023-24, $72,544,152 was awarded in grants and scholarships to W&L undergraduates. This includes all grant and/or scholarship aid dollars received from the federal government, state or local government, the institution, and private grant sources. Of the total grant and scholarship aid awarded, 98.4% came from institutional and private sources.

First-Year Retention

The retention rate is an indicator of how well first-year students acclimate to an institution's academic and social life. Ninety-six percent (96%) or more of the University's first-year students consistentily return their second year, a rate comparable to or exceeding that of our peer institutions and among the highest levels in the nation.

Student-to-Faculty Ratio

The student-faculty ratio reflects the intimacy of the educational experience. In recent years, W&L's ratio has maintained a favorable ratio of 1 faculty member for every 8 students.

Class Size

Fully 78% of undergraduate courses at Washington and Lee have fewer than 20 students, fostering a more personalized learning experience.

Distribution of Majors

In 2020-21, W&L awarded 444 undergraduate degrees to students who completed a total of 585 first and second majors. The accompanying chart illustrates the distribution of majors by broad discipline.

Graduation Rates

The six-year graduation rate represents students who enrolled as first-time, full-time students six years earlier and completed their undergraduate degrees within 150% of the traditional 4-year time frame. W&L's six-year graduation rates are equivalent with our peers. Although the six-year graduation rate is a federal reporting standard, nearly all students complete their program in four years.