Wake Forest University (WFU) vs George Washington University (GWU)

Wake Forest University and George Washington University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Wake Forest, nestled in the charming town of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, boasts a lower acceptance rate and a smaller student body, fostering a close-knit community. In contrast, George Washington, located in the vibrant heart of Washington, D.C., offers a more diverse student body and a wider range of academic programs. While Wake Forest excels in liberal arts and sciences, George Washington shines in fields like international affairs and public policy. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover more about these universities' acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, and graduation rates, and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
George Washington University logo

George Washington University

Wake Forest University logo

Wake Forest University

Overview

Location Washington, District of Columbia Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Campus setting City: Large City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 91.0% 94.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 49.7% 25.2%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $80

Graduate: $80
Undergraduate: $85

Graduate: $80
SAT range 1310 - 1490 N/A
ACT range 30 - 34 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 29.0%
Students submitting ACT score 18.0%
Total number of applicants 27,236 15,156
Total number of admissions given out 13,539 3,816
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,571 1,412
Yield rate 19.0% 37.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $78,335 $79,886
Average net price $31,240 $24,643
Tuition $59,780 $58,708
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $15,260

Meal plan: $3,240
Room/dormitory: $10,144

Meal plan: $7,870
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

74.0%
Average amount $31,678
33.0%
Average amount $53,244
Students receiving federal student loan 30.0%
Average amount $5,150
17.0%
Average amount $4,985
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $25,366
3.0%
Average amount $32,719

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 11,502
Men 36.3% Women 63.7%
5,472
Men 45.7% Women 54.3%
Graduate students 14,955
Men 38.1% Women 61.9%
3,475
Men 42.4% Women 57.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 98.7% N/A
International students 11.6% 9.8%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 6,693 4,152
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York New Jersey Virginia California Pennsylvania N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Social Sciences
  • Legal Profession
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Legal Profession
  • Education
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 10:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 83.7% 90.2%
Dropout rate 16.1% 9.5%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Systems Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $160,692
  • Year 2: $146,893
  • Year 3: $153,607
Human Resources Management and Services (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $124,764
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: $130,306
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $124,241
  • Year 2: $127,142
  • Year 3: $127,952
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $107,834
  • Year 2: $114,046
  • Year 3: $119,393
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $106,809
  • Year 2: $101,072
  • Year 3: $112,813
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $98,922
  • Year 2: $104,061
  • Year 3: $111,679
Public Health (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $84,962
  • Year 2: $104,192
  • Year 3: $105,816
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $104,747
  • Year 2: $96,405
  • Year 3: $105,562
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,274
  • Year 2: $101,254
  • Year 3: $103,350
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $77,345
  • Year 2: $83,177
  • Year 3: $102,875
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $169,430
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $155,438
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $96,143
  • Year 2: $96,587
  • Year 3: $105,398
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,169
  • Year 2: $80,510
  • Year 3: $96,761
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,086
  • Year 2: $76,836
  • Year 3: $93,939
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,098
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $89,902
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,076
  • Year 2: $65,145
  • Year 3: $79,400
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,533
  • Year 2: $66,653
  • Year 3: $76,702
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,731
  • Year 2: $60,811
  • Year 3: $72,065
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,100
  • Year 2: $55,693
  • Year 3: $70,717
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,086
  • Year 2: $57,411
  • Year 3: $65,270

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