Head-to-head · 36 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 58% chose GW. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 36 self-reported decisions and ABA 509 filings.
Choice, not ranking
These are decisions, not opinions. Scholarship offers, location, intended practice, and personal fit are all priced into the split.
Cross-admit decision
Chose GMU
Median scholarship (chose GMU)
Median scholarship (chose GW)
View all-time (118 cross-admits)
Trend · GMU's share
Lowest cycle
Highest cycle
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509
Financial
Sticker price and scholarship aid 2025 ABA 509
Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2025 ABA Employment
Cross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesRelated comparisons
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Overview
About GMU vs GW
Across 36 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 42% enrolled at George Mason University and 58% at George Washington University. The split has shifted +65 points across the tracked cycles.
These numbers reflect every factor that goes into a real decision: scholarship offers, geographic preference, intended practice area, and fit. Choosing one school doesn't mean it's "better" — it means the pool of cross-admits, weighing their options, ended up there more often. Pair this with the scholarship distribution and employment outcomes above for full context.
Looking at a different matchup? Browse all comparisons or run a custom pair from the index.
Compare another pair
Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares George Mason University and George Washington University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 36 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 36 applicants admitted to both schools, 58% chose to attend George Washington University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, George Washington University is ranked #26 compared to #32 — a gap of 6 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
George Mason University is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 15.9% compared to George Washington University's 27.2%.
George Mason University is located in Fairfax, Virginia, while George Washington University is in Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C.. Regional placement matters: graduates tend to find employment near their law school, so location should factor into your decision alongside rankings and cost.
Employment outcomes differ substantially: George Washington University places 24.1% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 10.8% for the other school. This 13 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, George Mason University has lower tuition at $24,864 per year compared to $75,420. Combined with employment rates of 98.2% (GMU) and 96.8% (GW), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, George Washington University offered a median scholarship of $105,000 compared to $88,500, a difference of $16,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.
Your study break just got better: follow @lawschooldata on Follow @lawschooldata on TikTok & Instagram