by our College Data Analytics TeamBelow is the data on what it actually costs to attend George Mason University, spanning what it costs to attend, projected costs over a degree, net price, debt outcomes, and aid equity.
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The full cost of attending George Mason University fell between $26,972.00 and $51,440.00 based on in-state versus out-of-state status.
The lower figure reflects the in-state rate and the higher figure the out-of-state rate: roughly $26,972.00 in-state compared with $51,440.00 for out-of-state students.
Cost is shown below as the full sticker price, the average net price after aid, and the low-income net price.
| Tuition and fees | $14,220.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $12,752.00 |
| Total cost | $26,972.00 |
| That is 40% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $26,972.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$10,689.00 |
| Net price | $16,283.00 |
| That is 15% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $26,972.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$16,662.00 |
| Net price | $10,310.00 |
| That is 46% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $38,688.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $12,752.00 |
| Total cost | $51,440.00 |
| That is 167% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $51,440.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$10,689.00 |
| Net price | $40,751.00 |
| That is 112% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $51,440.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$16,662.00 |
| Net price | $34,778.00 |
| That is 81% above the national average net price. | |
| Explore each piece on tuition and fees plus room and board. |
Costs have trended upward in recent years by roughly 1.9% per year; the projections below compound that across a degree. The projections below run a full degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and the full sticker price. The repayment figures use a ten-year loan at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Freshman year | $10,511.00 | $16,600.00 | $27,497.00 |
| Senior year | $11,136.00 | $17,587.00 | $29,132.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $43,284.00 | $68,361.00 | $113,237.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $16,490.00 | $26,043.00 | $43,139.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $498.00 | $787.00 | $1,303.00 |
| Total amount paid | $59,774.00 | $94,404.00 | $156,376.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Freshman year | $10,511.00 | $16,600.00 | $27,497.00 |
| Senior year | $10,715.00 | $16,923.00 | $28,031.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $21,225.00 | $33,522.00 | $55,528.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $8,086.00 | $12,771.00 | $21,154.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $244.00 | $386.00 | $639.00 |
| Total amount paid | $29,312.00 | $46,293.00 | $76,682.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Freshman year | $35,454.00 | $41,544.00 | $52,440.00 |
| Senior year | $37,563.00 | $44,015.00 | $55,560.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $146,009.00 | $171,085.00 | $215,961.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $55,624.00 | $65,177.00 | $82,273.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $1,680.00 | $1,969.00 | $2,485.00 |
| Total amount paid | $201,632.00 | $236,262.00 | $298,234.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Freshman year | $35,454.00 | $41,544.00 | $52,440.00 |
| Senior year | $36,144.00 | $42,351.00 | $53,460.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $71,598.00 | $83,895.00 | $105,901.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $27,276.00 | $31,961.00 | $40,344.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $824.00 | $965.00 | $1,219.00 |
| Total amount paid | $98,875.00 | $115,856.00 | $146,245.00 |
Read more in the net price section below.
The net price is the real out-of-pocket cost — what families pay after grant and scholarship aid is applied. This is the more honest cost figure for most families, since it accounts for institutional and federal aid.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $17,915.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $18,287.00 |
Net price is not the same for every family — it falls as financial need rises and grant aid increases. Here is the average net price for each family-income range:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $12,197.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $13,383.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $16,296.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $20,394.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $25,247.00 |
Get a tailored estimate from the George Mason University Net Price Calculator, or get in touch with the financial aid office.
Dig into how aid is awarded on the financial aid page.
Median graduate debt at George Mason University comes to $15,750.00, categorized as a Low ($10-20k) burden tier.
The percentile breakdown reveals the full debt landscape:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $4,500.00 |
| 25th | $7,500.00 |
| Median (50th) | $15,750.00 |
| 75th | $25,750.00 |
| 90th | $31,520.00 |
The spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles reflects how variable debt outcomes are at this school.
Dig deeper into debt on the student loan debt detail.
Family income tracks closely with debt at graduation. The breakdown below segments borrowers by family income at entry:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $16,000.00 |
| Middle income | $16,000.00 |
| High income | $15,125.00 |
Graduates from lower-income families carry $875.00 in extra median debt compared with high-income peers.
Debt at graduation often differs for first-generation students.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $15,751.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $15,500.00 |
First-generation graduates of George Mason University take on $251.00 more median debt than continuing-generation peers.
Pell Grants are the largest source of federal need-based aid for undergrads. Pell vs non-Pell comparisons surface how debt breaks down by need.
The gap between Pell-eligible and non-Pell median debt at George Mason University comes to $3,000.00. Federal data flags this school for Pell-related debt inequity.
The federal default-rate classification for George Mason University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 1.3% |
To give some context for these rates, Stafford loans disbursed at George Mason University come to $1,583,193,507.00 over 70,596 recipients.
Veterans and active-duty servicemembers can tap dedicated federal aid programs including the GI Bill and Tuition Assistance from the Department of Defense.
| GI Bill recipients | 1,430 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $11,655.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 78 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $2,361.00 |
For the full rundown of veteran and military benefits, see the veterans benefits detail.
Use the figures above as a launch point, then think through George Mason University, the questions below are worth your time:
For a closer look at any of these topics, follow the links below:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.