10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$138,076at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Private nonprofit · COLLEGE PAYOFF
George Washington University
Washington, DC · 107 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 104 · Federal debt reported for 37
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Positive payoff
+$138,076 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
7.0 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
+42%Estimated return after 10 years
$91,442Observed earnings · year 5
$71,105Highest annual price before payoff reaches $0
The price benchmark is $34,519 per year below this threshold.
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $16,920 housing and food allowance plus $1,700 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$284,420
$20,000Annual price+$204,420
$37,000Current college-wide context+$136,420
$40,000Annual price+$124,420
$60,000Annual price+$44,420
$80,000Annual price−$35,580
$100,000Annual price−$115,580
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- City
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
22 high-school students took college courses.
IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.
This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in District of Columbia run 10% above the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$36,586Average net price / year
$83,856Cost of attendance
$20,449Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$217/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$91,442Median earnings · year 5 after completion
84.0%Completion rate
47.1%Admission rate
1,433Average SAT score
32ACT midpoint
11,182Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about George Washington University
What does George Washington University cost?
George Washington University reports an average annual net price of $36,586 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do George Washington University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $91,442 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do George Washington University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $20,449. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at George Washington University worth the same?
No. The current release contains 107 field-and-degree records for George Washington University; 104 report year-4 earnings and 37 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
28,398Students enrolled at any point
12,571Undergraduate students
15,827Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
85% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
722 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
75% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$87,173Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$88,683Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$93,707Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income74%
Middle income78%
Higher income84%
Undergraduate student composition
White48%
Black8%
Hispanic14%
Asian16%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$66,952Year 1
$95,967Year 4
$91,442Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Engineering-Related Fields · Doctoral Degree$180,5492Human Resources Management and Services · Doctoral Degree$177,8673Human Resources Management and Services · Graduate/Professional Certificate$168,9344Systems Engineering · Master's Degree$154,7675Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$150,7166Information Science/Studies · Master's Degree$149,4697Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$146,8168Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Graduate/Professional Certificate$146,501Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Human Resources Management and ServicesGraduate/Professional Certificate · $168,934 reported+126%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2Human Resources Management and ServicesDoctoral Degree · $177,867 reported+61%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsBachelor's Degree · $88,114 reported+60%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt4Health and Medical Administrative ServicesBachelor's Degree · $92,810 reported+58%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt5Business/Commerce, GeneralBachelor's Degree · $107,023 reported+56%vs same-degree national median$20,500federal debt6Psychology, GeneralBachelor's Degree · $79,187 reported+56%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt
Comparable colleges in DC
Currently operating private nonprofit institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Washington, DC
Georgetown University
- Annual net price
- $40,815
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $101,620
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +65%
American University
- Annual net price
- $41,943
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $72,598
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -21%
The Catholic University of America
- Annual net price
- $29,561
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $73,531
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -4%
Howard University
- Annual net price
- $50,539
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $64,373
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -49%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 107 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering-Related Fields | Doctoral Degree | $180,549 | Not available | 52 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | Doctoral Degree | $177,867 | Not available | 15 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $168,934 | Not available | Not reported |
| Systems Engineering | Master's Degree | $154,767 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $150,716 | $19,500 | 2 |
| Information Science/Studies | Master's Degree | $149,469 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $146,816 | Not available | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $146,501 | Not available | Not reported |
| Law | First Professional Degree | $140,848 | Not available | Not reported |
| Engineering-Related Fields | Master's Degree | $139,567 | Not available | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $139,079 | Not available | Not reported |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Master's Degree | $136,801 | Not available | Not reported |
| Homeland Security | Master's Degree | $134,847 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | Master's Degree | $134,232 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | Master's Degree | $130,159 | Not available | Not reported |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $129,072 | Not available | Not reported |
| Public Health | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $126,738 | Not available | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $126,638 | $19,000 | 21 |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $126,566 | Not available | Not reported |
| Economics | Master's Degree | $125,847 | Not available | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Doctoral Degree | $125,247 | Not available | 30 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $124,760 | Not available | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Doctoral Degree | $122,539 | Not available | 10 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Master's Degree | $121,804 | Not available | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $121,460 | Not available | 66 |
| Systems Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $120,976 | Not available | Not reported |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $120,730 | $21,000 | 10 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | Master's Degree | $120,266 | Not available | 2 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | Master's Degree | $117,955 | Not available | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $116,795 | $24,875 | 2 |
| Public Administration | Master's Degree | $113,891 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | Bachelor's Degree | $112,554 | $18,143 | 1 |
| Business/Commerce, General | Bachelor's Degree | $107,023 | $20,500 | Not reported |
| Political Science and Government | Master's Degree | $106,674 | Not available | Not reported |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Doctoral Degree | $106,137 | Not available | 29 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Master's Degree | $105,496 | Not available | Not reported |
| Information Science/Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $105,145 | Not available | Not reported |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | Master's Degree | $101,932 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $101,196 | $21,500 | 2 |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $100,990 | Not available | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every George Washington University program record →Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.