“As the university for all Virginians, George Mason delivers with a scale of impact that has no equal in our region and state and very few equals nationally.”
Gregory Washington, President
George Mason University
A Letter from President Washington
Dear Friends,
George Mason University serves many stakeholders. Students and families are drawn to our career-making academic programs, flexibility, and value. State and regional employers rely on our talent pool and innovation. Research partners tap into the vast expertise of our faculty. Workers who need upskilling, reskilling, or support to start their own business look to us. Arts patrons and sports fans eager to be part of a community of excellence pack our bleachers and concert halls.
The Carnegie Foundation and American Council on Education determined in 2025 that George Mason is the only public doctoral university in Virginia—and one of just five very large public universities in the nation—in the highest tier of Opportunity Colleges and Universities for its combination of higher access and higher earnings, and being a top research university.
Higher access. Higher earnings. Is there any higher praise for an institution of higher education?
George Mason accepts about 90 percent of applicants, including students enrolling out of high school, through direct admission programs, community college or other institutions, the military, and the workforce. We have no marked disparity in graduation rates among groups in regard to race, ethnicity, or economic status.
Visionary business leaders determined more than a half century ago that for Northern Virginia to thrive, it needed a major public research university driving it. We have flourished hand in hand. Employers tell us what skills their employees need to have, and in partnership we design courses to meet existing needs and anticipate future ones. Crucial workforce gaps are why in recent years we have launched both the first College of Public Health in Virginia and the state’s first School of Computing, the latter highlighting our role as a leading partner in the state’s Tech Talent Investment Program.
Greater Access, Higher Earnings, and a Top Research University
George Mason is one of just five very large public universities designated in the highest tier of Opportunity Colleges and Universities by the Carnegie Foundation and American Council on Education.
TOP 40 among public
universities nationally
Wall Street Journal
Top university in Virginia for
UPWARD MOBILITY
Wall Street Journal and U.S. News and World Report
Top public university in Virginia
for BEST VALUE
Wall Street Journal
A top college for VETERANS
Silver ranking, Military Friendly School
Top public university in Virginia,
Maryland, and Washington, D.C., for
SALARY OUTCOMES
Wall Street Journal
Top public university in
Virginia for ACCESS
Washington Monthly
TOP 5 university in Virginia for
STUDENT EXPERIENCE
Wall Street Journal
Washington Monthly's
BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK
in the Southeast
Since George Mason is major public research university, society looks to us to confront the most pressing issues of our time. Through our Grand Challenge Initiative, we identify six focus areas of George Mason expertise to preserve and protect humanity’s ability to build the future of its choosing. We are also positioning George Mason to be a nexus for AI innovation, which ties into many global challenges as well as our daily work and personal lives.
For Virginians who need help starting or growing a business, we offer Mason EnterpriseTM and a network of Small Business Development Centers across the state. In addition, the Lab-to-Launch initiative, a partnership with five in-state partner universities, positions George Mason at the forefront of innovation and entrepreneurship, accelerating the commercialization of research and fostering start-up growth.
George Mason powers the Northern Virginia economic corridor that runs from Mason Square in Arlington, home of Fuse, our hub for emerging public-private tech partnerships; to the Fairfax Campus, where we are beginning to plan for an expansion of its western portion; to the Science and Technology Campus in Manassas, where the university anchors the region’s first Innovation District.
Whichever direction you go, the road to innovation and prosperity in Northern Virginia runs through George Mason University. That road also leads the community to the arts, Division I athletics, and to a resource for lifelong learning, summer camps, cultural events, and other offerings that attract and connect Northern Virginians.
We’re a step above, and in lockstep with the region we proudly serve.
Gregory Washington
President, George Mason University
