George Mason University (GMU) vs UC Davis

Envision yourself immersed in a vibrant academic landscape, where intellectual curiosity thrives and opportunities abound. George Mason University and University of California-Davis stand as beacons of higher learning, each offering a distinct educational experience. While both institutions share a commitment to academic excellence, they diverge in several key aspects. Delve into our comprehensive comparison to uncover the nuances that set these universities apart. Explore the contrasting acceptance rates, discover the spectrum of popular majors, immerse yourself in the diverse student body demographics, and evaluate the disparity in graduation rates. This side-by-side analysis empowers you to make an informed decision, aligning your academic aspirations with the university that best resonates with your unique goals and aspirations.
George Mason University logo

George Mason University

University of California-Davis logo

University of California-Davis

Overview

Location Fairfax, Virginia Davis, California
Campus setting Suburb: Large Suburb: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 84.0% 91.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 91.3% 48.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $75
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $120
SAT range 1140 - 1350 N/A
ACT range 25 - 30 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 37.0%
Students submitting ACT score 3.0%
Total number of applicants 20,527 87,120
Total number of admissions given out 18,741 42,475
Admitted students who chose to enroll 3,986 7,482
Yield rate 21.3% 17.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $35,263

Out of state: $58,723
In state: $32,584

Out of state: $62,338
Average net price $18,841 $16,640
Tuition
In state: $9,510

Out of state: $32,970
In state: $11,442

Out of state: $41,196
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,620

Meal plan: $5,010
$17,018
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

70.0%
Average amount $10,110
59.0%
Average amount $17,628
Students receiving federal student loan 43.0%
Average amount $5,006
23.0%
Average amount $4,043
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $18,474
11.0%
Average amount $3,360

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 26,882
Men 50.4% Women 49.6%
31,657
Men 39.8% Women 60.2%
Graduate students 11,746
Men 40.7% Women 59.3%
8,393
Men 43.8% Women 56.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 18.9% 7.5%
International students 8.0% 17.0%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Suburb: Small
Dormitory capacity 6,513 11,142
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Virginia Maryland District of Columbia Pennsylvania New York California Washington Illinois Texas Hawaii

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Engineering
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Business
  • Agriculture
  • Engineering
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 16:1 21:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 70.1% 86.9%
Dropout rate 9.6% 11.8%
Transferred out 16.5% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $96,837
  • Year 2: $109,763
  • Year 3: $127,586
Homeland Security (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,476
  • Year 2: $127,993
  • Year 3: $120,573
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,886
  • Year 2: $99,709
  • Year 3: $117,377
Computer Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $112,424
  • Year 2: $101,072
  • Year 3: $115,693
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $98,841
  • Year 2: $105,585
  • Year 3: $113,896
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $121,226
  • Year 2: $92,632
  • Year 3: $105,664
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,843
  • Year 2: $100,690
  • Year 3: $101,702
Medical Illustration and Informatics (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,386
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $101,604
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,911
  • Year 2: $91,448
  • Year 3: $99,722
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $94,065
  • Year 2: $92,277
  • Year 3: $94,785
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $121,903
  • Year 2: $135,393
  • Year 3: $137,917
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $127,500
  • Year 2: $125,015
  • Year 3: $135,009
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $106,299
  • Year 2: $116,258
  • Year 3: $127,335
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,488
  • Year 2: $81,609
  • Year 3: $103,694
Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,669
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $100,961
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $112,976
  • Year 2: $98,186
  • Year 3: $99,585
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,487
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $98,364
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $87,604
  • Year 3: $94,032
Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,487
  • Year 2: $70,370
  • Year 3: $89,594
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,514
  • Year 2: $74,262
  • Year 3: $87,586

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