W&L Fast Facts
Get to know Washington and Lee University at a glance with these fast facts. Located in the scenic Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, W&L combines a rich history with a commitment to academic excellence and student engagement. From enrollment and student life to academic programs and campus traditions, the highlights below offer a quick snapshot of what makes W&L a distinctive and dynamic place to learn and grow.
Jump to:
General • Accolades • Academic Life • Student Life • Student Outcomes • Access & Affordability • Admissions • Alumni & Donors
Founded in
1749
Washington and Lee University is the ninth-oldest college in the United States.
Total Enrollment
2,281
2025-26 student enrollment (1,912 undergraduate; 369 law)
Lexington, VA
7,000+
With a population of just over 7,000, Lexington is a vibrant college town.
Degrees Offered
B.A., B.S., J.D.
Washington and Lee is the only top liberal arts college with accredited programs in business and journalism and a graduate School of Law.
Endowment per Student
$978K+
(Top 25 in the nation)
Total Endowment
$2.19B
(value as of June 30, 2025)
Founded in
1749
Washington and Lee University is the ninth-oldest college in the United States.
Total Enrollment
2,281
2025-26 student enrollment (1,912 undergraduate; 369 law)
Lexington, VA
7,000+
With a population of just over 7,000, Lexington is a vibrant college town.
Degrees Offered
B.A., B.S., J.D.
Washington and Lee is the only top liberal arts college with accredited programs in business and journalism and a graduate School of Law.
Endowment per Student
$978K+
(Top 25 in the nation)
Total Endowment
$2.19B
(value as of June 30, 2025)
General Accolades
Liberal Arts College for Student Satisfaction
#1
Based on willingness to recommend the college to a friend, choose the same college again, and satisfaction with value for their money (The Wall Street Journal)
College for Great Financial Aid
#1
(The Princeton Review)
Best Private School for Internships
#3
(The Princeton Review)
Classroom Experience
#1
(The Princeton Review)
Learning Opportunities
#1
(The Wall Street Journal)
Learning Facilities
#1
(The Wall Street Journal)
Career Preparation
#2
(The Wall Street Journal)
Liberal Arts College for Long-Term Career Success
#2
(LinkedIn)
Liberal Arts College for Student Satisfaction
#1
Based on willingness to recommend the college to a friend, choose the same college again, and satisfaction with value for their money (The Wall Street Journal)
College for Great Financial Aid
#1
(The Princeton Review)
Best Private School for Internships
#3
(The Princeton Review)
Classroom Experience
#1
(The Princeton Review)
Learning Opportunities
#1
(The Wall Street Journal)
Learning Facilities
#1
(The Wall Street Journal)
Career Preparation
#2
(The Wall Street Journal)
Liberal Arts College for Long-Term Career Success
#2
(LinkedIn)
Academic Life
At W&L, students cultivate their intellectual curiosity in small classes with the guidance of faculty mentors who teach them to collaborate, ask difficult questions and discover meaningful connections across academic disciplines.
Majors and Minors
37/42
Our expansive academic offerings include programs in business administration, accounting, entrepreneurship, journalism, engineering, and teacher education that you won’t find at other liberal arts colleges.
Interdisciplinary Opportunity
41%
of students major or minor in both the College and the Williams School.
Student-to-Faculty Ratio
7:1
Our low student-to-faculty ratio means students receive personal attention from faculty members.
Classes with < 20 Students
80%
We pride ourselves on our small class sizes, ranking second among top liberal arts colleges for the percentage of classes with fewer than 20 students.
Student Research
44%
of W&L students conduct research with a faculty member.
Study Abroad
70%
of students participate in an experience abroad during their time at W&L, either for a Spring Term, a semester, or a full year.
High-Impact Practices
90%
According to the 2023 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), 90% of the W&L Class of 2023 participated in two or more high-impact practices, compared to an average of 83% at peer schools.
Majors and Minors
37/42
Our expansive academic offerings include programs in business administration, accounting, entrepreneurship, journalism, engineering, and teacher education that you won’t find at other liberal arts colleges.
Interdisciplinary Opportunity
41%
of students major or minor in both the College and the Williams School.
Student-to-Faculty Ratio
7:1
Our low student-to-faculty ratio means students receive personal attention from faculty members.
Classes with < 20 Students
80%
We pride ourselves on our small class sizes, ranking second among top liberal arts colleges for the percentage of classes with fewer than 20 students.
Student Research
44%
of W&L students conduct research with a faculty member.
Study Abroad
70%
of students participate in an experience abroad during their time at W&L, either for a Spring Term, a semester, or a full year.
High-Impact Practices
90%
According to the 2023 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), 90% of the W&L Class of 2023 participated in two or more high-impact practices, compared to an average of 83% at peer schools.
Student Life
W&L students work hard and enjoy rigorous academics with small classes, dedicated faculty mentors, and exceptional opportunities. They also enjoy a vibrant social, cultural, and recreational scene in a friendly community grounded in core values of honor, integrity, and civility.
Friendliest Students
#3
(The Princeton Review)
Student Organizations
150+
clubs and organizations, ranging from leadership and service to recreation and fitness, arts and culture to religious and spiritual life
Living on Campus
~75%
Students are required to live on campus for three years. Many seniors choose to live in downtown Lexington or the surrounding countryside.
Best College Dorms
#3
(The Princeton Review)
Greek Life
~70%
of students participate in 10 fraternities and 7 sororities.
Intercollegiate Sports
~30%
of students compete on 24 varsity athletic teams in the Division III Old Dominion Athletic Conference, along with 20 club sports and a wide range of intramurals.
Best Quality of Life
#4
(The Princeton Review)
Their Students Love These Colleges
#5
(The Princeton Review)
Friendliest Students
#3
(The Princeton Review)
Student Organizations
150+
clubs and organizations, ranging from leadership and service to recreation and fitness, arts and culture to religious and spiritual life
Living on Campus
~75%
Students are required to live on campus for three years. Many seniors choose to live in downtown Lexington or the surrounding countryside.
Best College Dorms
#3
(The Princeton Review)
Greek Life
~70%
of students participate in 10 fraternities and 7 sororities.
Intercollegiate Sports
~30%
of students compete on 24 varsity athletic teams in the Division III Old Dominion Athletic Conference, along with 20 club sports and a wide range of intramurals.
Best Quality of Life
#4
(The Princeton Review)
Their Students Love These Colleges
#5
(The Princeton Review)
Student Outcomes
W&L students master essential skills such as effective communication, critical thinking, ethical reasoning, teamwork, and leadership that prepare them not only for their first job after college but also for their long-term careers.
Retention Rate
98%
for first-year students
Graduation Rate
93%
of students graduate in four years, and 96% graduate in six.
Graduate Outcomes
94%
of students are employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation.
Grad School Success
92/85%
Our five-year acceptance rates at medical (92%) and law (85%) schools are among the highest in the nation.
Rhodes Scholars
#1
Producer of U.S. Rhodes Scholars among all liberal arts colleges (excluding military academies) in the last decade.
Years Running
8
W&L was named a Top Producer of Fulbright U.S. students for the eighth straight year in 2025-26 — ranking sixth among baccalaureate institutions.
Retention Rate
98%
for first-year students
Graduation Rate
93%
of students graduate in four years, and 96% graduate in six.
Graduate Outcomes
94%
of students are employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation.
Grad School Success
92/85%
Our five-year acceptance rates at medical (92%) and law (85%) schools are among the highest in the nation.
Rhodes Scholars
#1
Producer of U.S. Rhodes Scholars among all liberal arts colleges (excluding military academies) in the last decade.
Years Running
8
W&L was named a Top Producer of Fulbright U.S. students for the eighth straight year in 2025-26 — ranking sixth among baccalaureate institutions.
Access & Affordability
W&L is one of only a handful of colleges and universities in the U.S. that are need-blind and meet the full demonstrated financial need of every student without loans. When you add the merit-based Johnson Scholarship, W&L stands alone in its commitment to access and affordability.
Financial Need
100%
of each student’s financial need is met without loans.
Grants
63%
of students receive grant assistance.
Need-Based Grants
$66K+
The average need-based grant amount awarded per student is more than $66,000.
Need-Blind Admissions
100%
W&L admits students without considering their ability to pay.
Full-RIde Awards
10%
of every class is awarded a Johnson Scholarship, receiving a full-ride award plus $10,000 in additional funds for research, travel, or internships.
The W&L Promise
$0
Families earning under $150,000 with typical assets pay $0 tuition, and those earning under $75,000 with typical assets pay $0 in tuition, room, or board.
Financial Need
100%
of each student’s financial need is met without loans.
Grants
63%
of students receive grant assistance.
Need-Based Grants
$66K+
The average need-based grant amount awarded per student is more than $66,000.
Need-Blind Admissions
100%
W&L admits students without considering their ability to pay.
Full-RIde Awards
10%
of every class is awarded a Johnson Scholarship, receiving a full-ride award plus $10,000 in additional funds for research, travel, or internships.
The W&L Promise
$0
Families earning under $150,000 with typical assets pay $0 tuition, and those earning under $75,000 with typical assets pay $0 in tuition, room, or board.
W&L Admissions
W&L is a powerful incubator that cultivates the considerable potential of our students and prepares them to lead lives of consequence. We seek academically talented, curious, and engaged students from around the world, and we are need-blind in our admissions review.
Undergraduate Applicants
8,969
for the Class of 2029
Acceptance Rate
13.5%
1,216 students were offered admission for the Class of 2029.
Enrolled Students
499
(Class of 2029: 41% Yield)
Median SAT
1480
(Class of 2029)
Median ACT
34
(Class of 2029)
Geographic Breakdown
42/35
The Class of 2029 is comprised of students hailing from 42 U.S. states and territories and 35 countries of origin.
Undergraduate Applicants
8,969
for the Class of 2029
Acceptance Rate
13.5%
1,216 students were offered admission for the Class of 2029.
Enrolled Students
499
(Class of 2029: 41% Yield)
Median SAT
1480
(Class of 2029)
Median ACT
34
(Class of 2029)
Geographic Breakdown
42/35
The Class of 2029 is comprised of students hailing from 42 U.S. states and territories and 35 countries of origin.
Alumni & Donors
W&L alumni feel a powerful connection to the university, its current students, and their fellow alumni. We don’t take these extraordinary connections, which distinguish W&L from other schools, for granted. We help students begin to cultivate them from the day they set foot on campus.
In Your Corner
32,500+
Alumni of record
Global Connections
77
Chapters around the world
Alumni Network
#3
Among private schools (The Princeton Review)
Annual Giving
$10.89M
Amount received for the W&L Fund in 2024-25. Annual giving has exceeded $10M for 10 of the last 11 years.
Individual Donors
10,224
Total donors in 2024-25
2025-26 W&L Fund Goal
$10.9M
In Your Corner
32,500+
Alumni of record
Global Connections
77
Chapters around the world
Alumni Network
#3
Among private schools (The Princeton Review)
Annual Giving
$10.89M
Amount received for the W&L Fund in 2024-25. Annual giving has exceeded $10M for 10 of the last 11 years.
Individual Donors
10,224
Total donors in 2024-25
2025-26 W&L Fund Goal
$10.9M