Lexington, Virginia
Annual Costs
Undergraduate Tuition
Tuition for Washington and Lee University is $58,260 for the 2021/2022 academic year. This is 92% more expensive than the national average private non-profit four year college tuition of $30,379. Washington and Lee University is one of the 100 most expensive colleges in the America, coming in 53rd on our Expensive 100 Ranking. The cost is 181% more expensive than the average Virginia tuition of $20,712 for 4 year colleges. Tuition ranks 57th in Virginia amongst 4 year colleges for affordability and is the 2nd most expensive 4 year college in the state. Price does not vary by residence.
The school charges an additional fees of $1,120 in addition to tuition bringing the total effective in-state tuition to $59,380.
Housing Costs
On campus room and board is provided by the school at a cost of $16,270 per academic year. Students electing to live off campus elsewhere in Lexington should budget at least this amount.
Books and Supplies
The estimated annual cost for books and supplies is $2,250.
Other Living Expenses
If living on-campus, students should budget for $2,400 in additional living expenses. Off-campus students should budget for $0 in other miscellaneous living expenses.
Total Costs
The annual tuition and living expense budget to go to Washington and Lee was $80,300 for the 2021/2022 academic year. The cost is the same for all students regardless of Virginia residence status as there is no in-state discount.
Citation: Price data from the U.S. Department of Education's 2022 IPEDS survey response for Washington and Lee University and represent reported costs for the 2021-2022 academic year.
| Estimated Budgets | |
|---|---|
| Virginia Resident Total Budget | $80,300 |
| In-State Tuition | $58,260 |
| Other Fees | $1,120 |
| Room and Board | $16,270 |
| On-Campus Other Budget | $2,400 |
| Books and Supplies | $2,250 |
| Non-Resident Total Budget | $80,300 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $58,260 |
| Other Fees | $1,120 |
| Room and Board | $16,270 |
| On-Campus Other Budget | $2,400 |
| Books and Supplies | $2,250 |
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What it Really Costs
Depending on many factors including student and parent income and assets, the total cost of attendance may be less than the $80,300 published price if scholarship or grant aid is made available to you.
Net Price
The net out-of-pocket total cost you end up paying or financing though student loans is known as the net price. The reported Washington and Lee net price for in-state students is $27,148* for the 2019/2020 academic year. This net price includes housing and meal expenses.
Pell Grants and other Grant Aid
63% of Washington and Lee University students received grant aid in 2019/2020. The average total aid amount was $46,752. 11 percent of students received aid in the form of Pell Grants from the U.S. Federal Government. The average Pell Grant awarded for 2019/2020 was $4,756. To apply for a Pell Grant to attend Washington and Lee University, the first step is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
| Financial Aid Summary | |
|---|---|
| Average Annual Net Price | $27,148* |
| Percent of Students Receiving Grant Aid | 63% |
| Average Total Grant Aid | $46,752 |
| Percent of Students Receiving Pell Grants | 11% |
| Average Amount of Pell Grant Aid | $4,756 |
Average Net Price by Family Income
The average net total cost of attendance for different levels of family income after federal, state or local government, institutional grant and scholarship aid are awarded. Data last published for the 2019/2020 academic year.
| Family Income | Avg. Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $205 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $850 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $6,505 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $13,860 |
| $110,000+ | $42,003 |
Average Financial Aid Mix - $80,300 In-State Total Cost
CollegeCalc has estimated typical coverage of the annual in-state tuition and living expenses of $80,300. Breakdown is based on average grant aid and federal loan aid which will vary based on your family income.
Grants and Scholarships
60% - $46,752Money granted to you by the U.S. Department of Education, Washington and Lee University or other organizations. These are not loans and do not need to be repaid.
Federal Loans
6% - $4,750Low interest student loans funded by the U.S. Department of Education. This amount will need to be repaid.
Out of Pocket
34% - $26,398Covered by family savings, work or private student loans which you will have to repay.
*Reported Average Annual Net Price for students receiving grant or scholarship aid reported to the U.S. Department of Education's Academic Year 2019/2020 IPEDS Survey. Financial aid is only available to those who qualify. Consult this school's net price calculator for further understanding of your potential net price.
Note that for colleges with no reported on-campus room and board, the average net price has been increased to account for living expenses. This number may not only reflect the net price paid to the school for tuition.
Is it Worth the Cost?
To make a comparative assessment if Washington and Lee is worth the price, measures of it's relative value for tuition dollar can be examined. We've calculated an academic national percentile rating of 93/100 for Washington and Lee University. Considering an average net price paid of $20,585, this leads to an overall value ranking of 73/100. This places the school 36th on our national Best Value Colleges ranking as a provider of a very high value education compared to actual overall price paid.
Tuition Comparison to Similar Private Colleges in the Region
| School | Cost vs. Washington and Lee University |
|---|---|
| University of Richmond | 0.5% more expensive |
| Georgetown University | 2.6% more expensive |
| Davidson College | 6.5% less expensive |
| Johns Hopkins University | 0.8% more expensive |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 1.2% less expensive |
Cost of a Degree
When considering ability to pay for college, the annual cost is often discussed but it's the "all in" multi-year degree cost which matters in the end. Let's take a look at what it could really cost for four years at Washington and Lee University.
Estimated 4 Year Cost at Published Tuition
At the current published rates, an estimated total tuition, fees and living expense price for a 4 year bachelor's degree at Washington and Lee is $321,200 for students graduating in normal time. This methodology for estimating the 4 year cost is a straight multiple of the most recent reported annual total cost and does not factor in tuition increases during the time you're in school. It also assumes you receive no grant or scholarship aid and pay the full list price.
A potentially more accurate but less conservative estimate of a degree cost can be made by using the school's annual $20,585 in-state net price as the basis. Applying this cost over 4 would estimate the cost of a degree at $82,340**
If you end up on the "five year plan" and need an additional year to graduate, your five year cost could be as high as $401,500 or $102,925 using an average net price.
**Based on a 4 year multiple of Average Annual Net Price for students receiving grant or scholarship aid reported to the U.S. Department of Education's 2019/2020 IPEDS Survey. Financial aid is only available to those who qualify. Consult this school's net price calculator for further understanding of your potential net price.
Other Costs
Estimated Cost Per Semester
Most colleges don't charge students on an annual basis but instead require payment semester by semester. If you ever need to take an additional semester of classes to complete you degree you shouldn't have to pay for a full academic year. These our estimated costs for a semester at Washington and Lee University.
| Virginia Resident Tuition Per Semester | $29,130 |
| Virginia Resident Total Cost Per Semester | $40,150 |
Cost Per Credit Hour and Cost for a Class
Some schools offer the ability to take single classes by paying on a per credit hour basis. The reported price per credit hour and estimated cost for one class at Washington and Lee University are as follows. Per credit costs are for reference only as many schools will not allow students to pay by credit hour.
| Price per credit hour | $1,942 |
| Cost for one class (3 credit hours) | $5,826 |
| Cost for one class (4 credit hours) | $7,768 |
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Student Loans and Debt
The second consideration after understanding the cost of college is determining how to finance it. Some students are fortunate enough to have some form of family financial assistance, but student loans end up financing a significant portion of higher education in the U.S. 17% of Washington and Lee University students receive U.S. Federal Student Loans with an average annual Federal Loan aid amount of $4,750.
Example Loan Payments and Costs
How much are student loan payments for Washington and Lee University? Obviously this varies based on a number of factors - offsetting financial aid you receive, percentage of fee you pay upfront while enrolled and the interest rate on your loans. We've modeled a sample student loan based on current Stafford loan rates to give you an approximate idea.
The following are the costs for a loan if you borrowed $82,340, 100% of the estimated average net price for a four year program and paid nothing while enrolled. The total of all payments including interest would sum $104,752.92. This could be your effective total out of pocket cost of an education at Washington and Lee University. Note that this calculation assumes you don't pay full list price tuition, are part of the reported 63% of students at this school who receive financial aid and you are paying an average annual net price of $20,585. If you do not financially qualify for a reduced net price, your student loan payments could be significantly higher than this example. Use our Washington and Lee University student loan calculator below to change loan assumptions and recalculate.
Student loans are not free money and must be repaid. You cannot dismiss student loans by via bankruptcy.
| Example Payments | |
|---|---|
| Monthly Loan Payment | $872.94 |
| Amount Borrowed | $82,340.00 |
| Interest Rate | 4.99% |
| Term | 10 years |
| Number of Monthly Payments | 120 |
| Total Interest Cost | $22,412.92 |
| Sum of All Payments over 10 years | $104,752.92 |
Affording Student Loan Payments and Post Graduation Salary
Can I afford to attend Washington and Lee? In the end, the answer comes down a determination if you will earn enough to comfortably pay back a student loan with your post graduation salary. This is an extremely important point to consider. In order to afford student loan payments and still meet all your other costs of living, it is recommended not to borrow more than you can pay back using 10% of your monthly income earned after graduation. If you're considering attending Washington and Lee University, you need to carefully consider if it will be realistic to make the post graduation loan payments based on your expected salary.
Using the 10% of salary threshold, an annual income of $104,752.92 would be needed to afford a $872.94 monthly payment in the example $82,340.00 loan modeled above. You will need to determine if it is at all realistic that you will be earning this type of salary after graduation. This assumes a loan payback over 10 years. You can change the terms of this example loan using the student loan calculator below.
Estimated Future Cost and Expected Tuition Increase
What will it cost to send your child to Washington and Lee University in the future? In the past four years, this school's published in-state tuition and fee total rose from $47,280 to $58,260. This amounts to an average annual price increase of 4.6%. Nationally, university tuition prices are rising around 5% per year. Looking out five, ten, fifteen or eighteen years, these are CollegeCalc's estimates how much you could expect to pay for a 4 year degree assuming tuition increases at the national average rate. Estimated future prices are based on the current 4 year cost of $321,200.00. Use the college savings plan calculator below to perform a more comprehensive analysis on future costs and how much you will need to save for Washington and Lee University.
| Annual | 4 Year Degree | |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated Cost in 5 years for students enrolling in 2028 | $110,431 | $441,725 |
| Estimated Cost in 10 years for students enrolling in 2033 | $140,941 | $563,765 |
| Estimated Cost in 15 years for students enrolling in 2038 | $179,881 | $719,523 |
| Estimated Cost in 18 years for students enrolling in 2041 | $208,235 | $832,938 |
Calculators
Use the calculators below to formulate a college savings plan for Washington and Lee University or model a student loan.
College Savings Calculator
Plan and Save for College
Discover how much will you need to start saving now to afford Washington and Lee University in the future.
Student Loan Calculator
Estimate Loan Payments
Modify the loan assumptions to fit your financial situation and likely tuition price. Then calculate your payoff and loan payments for a Washington and Lee University student loan.
About Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a four year private college located in Lexington, Virginia. Full time enrollment is 2,232 and part time is 6. Learn more about getting accepted at Washington and Lee University at CollegeSimply.
Students attending this school may pursue both undergraduate and graduate degrees.
AddressWashington and Lee University
204 West Washington Street
Lexington, Virginia
24450-2116
http://www.wlu.edu/
For Profit / Not For Profit Status
Washington and Lee University is a private not for profit institution.
Washington and Lee University cost and financial aid data source: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=234207 IPEDS survey data. Data last updated February 2023 and reflects academic year 2021/2022 costs reported by the school.