Georgetown: What the Numbers Actually Say
One figure on this page outruns every Ivy. Students who arrive at Georgetown from the lowest-income third of American families are earning a mean of a hundred and fifty thousand dollars a decade after they start — the highest such figure of any non-medical institution in the federal data, ahead of Harvard, Stanford and MIT. Washington, it turns out, is an excellent place to start from nothing.
Georgetown admitted 13.5% of 26,822 applicants — the most forgiving rate of the private schools profiled here. Students from the lowest-income third of families are earning a mean $150,200 ten years after entry, against a median $103,494 for the class as a whole.
At a glance
| Georgetown University | US median | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | WA, DC | |
| Undergraduates | 7,908 | |
| Acceptance rate | 13.5% | |
| Applicants / admits | 26,822 / 3,618 | |
| Middle 50% SAT | 1410–1540 | |
| Middle 50% ACT | 32–35 | |
| Student–faculty ratio | 11:1 | |
| Average net price after aid | $40,815 | $20,150 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs out | $103,494 | $53,038 |
| Median debt at graduation | $15,500 | $23,000 |
US medians are across every college reporting the figure to the College Scorecard — roughly 1,700 for net price and 1,800 for earnings.
Outcomes: the mobility figure
Median earnings, 10 years after entry · US median $53,038
Earnings of students from the lowest-income third · US median $42,600
Average net price after aid · US median $20,150
Median debt at graduation · US median $23,000
Bar length is the share of US colleges this school beats on each measure; the tick marks the national median. Price and debt are inverted, so a longer bar is always the better outcome. Source: College Scorecard.
Read the second bar twice. $150,200 is what students from the lowest-income third of families earn a decade after starting at Georgetown — the strongest figure of any non-medical institution in the Scorecard, and above every Ivy League school. The overall median ten years after entry, $103,494, is excellent but unremarkable in this company; the mobility number is not.
It comes with a caveat worth stating: Georgetown enrols a smaller share of Pell-eligible students than most peers, at 10.1%, so the figure describes a smaller group than the same statistic elsewhere. 96.3% of first-years return and 94% graduate within six years.
Admissions: what Georgetown says it weighs
Georgetown drew 26,822 applications and admitted 3,618 — 13.5%. Its early round is non-binding Early Action, and 43.9% of admitted students enrol.
| Application factor | Georgetown University says | How common that is |
|---|---|---|
| Academic GPA | Very important | 91% of schools say the same |
| Application Essay | Very important | 34% of schools say the same |
| Character/personal qualities | Very important | 27% of schools say the same |
| Extracurricular activities | Very important | only 18% of schools say the same |
| Recommendation(s) | Very important | 32% of schools say the same |
| Rigor of secondary school record | Very important | 87% of schools say the same |
| Standardized test scores | Very important | 26% of schools say the same |
| Class rank | Important | 47% of schools say the same |
| Talent/ability | Important | only 24% of schools say the same |
| Alumni/ae relation | Considered | 40% of schools say the same |
| First generation | Considered | 65% of schools say the same |
| Interview | Considered | 41% of schools say the same |
| Level of applicant's interest | Considered | 45% of schools say the same |
| Volunteer work | Considered | 66% of schools say the same |
| Work experience | Considered | 69% of schools say the same |
| Geographical residence | Not considered | 62% of schools say the same |
| Religious affiliation/commitment | Not considered | 89% of schools say the same |
| State residency | Not considered | 57% of schools say the same |
The school’s own ratings from its Common Data Set filing, set against the 362 filings in our dataset. Bold rows are ratings fewer than a quarter of schools share — the places this school’s process is genuinely unusual. Declared weight is not submission policy; requirements change year to year and should be checked directly.
Extracurricular activities sit at the very top of the scale — a rating only 18% of schools share — consistent with a university whose applicants tend to arrive with a record of doing things rather than only studying them. Georgetown also runs an extensive alumni interview programme; its filing rates the interview considered.
The admitted middle 50% runs 710–760 on SAT reading and 700–780 on maths, with 78% of enrolled first-years having submitted an SAT score — one of the higher submission shares profiled here.
Cost
The sticker is about $96,912, and the average net price after grants is $40,815 — higher than 95.8% of American colleges. Georgetown meets 100% of demonstrated need with an average first-year grant of $57,490.
| Family income | Georgetown University | US median |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $5,064 / year | $15,238 |
| $30,000 – $48,000 | $12,155 / year | $15,431 |
| $48,000 – $75,000 | $18,329 / year | $17,510 |
| $75,000 – $110,000 | $26,459 / year | $21,308 |
| Over $110,000 | $57,403 / year | $25,893 |
Average net price actually paid by aided US students at each income level, from the College Scorecard. Sticker price is what almost nobody at these income levels pays.
The spread is steep: about $5,064 under $30,000 of family income, rising to $57,403 above $110,000. 28% of students borrow, and the median graduate leaves owing $15,500.
Frequently asked questions
What is Georgetown’s acceptance rate?
13.5%. Georgetown received 26,822 applications and admitted 3,618 students — a more forgiving rate than the Ivies, though 43.9% of admits enrol.
How much does Georgetown actually cost?
An average $40,815 a year after grants, against a sticker of about $96,912. A family earning under $30,000 pays about $5,064; from $75,000 to $110,000, about $26,459.
Do Georgetown graduates earn well?
Exceptionally, if they started with little: students from the lowest-income third of families earn a mean $150,200 ten years after entry — the strongest figure of any non-medical institution in the federal data. The overall median ten years after entry is $103,494.
Does Georgetown have Early Decision?
No — Georgetown uses non-binding Early Action, so an early application does not commit you. It does restrict applying early elsewhere; check its current terms directly.
What SAT scores do you need for Georgetown?
The admitted middle 50% scored 710–760 on reading and 700–780 on maths, with 78% of enrolled first-years submitting a score.
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