Career orientation
highhumanities, sciences, business, education, historic preservation, arts, and social sciences create visible professional pathways.
What could vary?
Outcomes vary by field and student choices.
COLLEGE FIT GUIDE
Evidence checked · 2026-10-06
University of Mary Washington
University of Mary Washington is a public liberal-arts university with strengths in humanities, sciences, business, education, historic preservation, arts, and social sciences. A compact residential campus between Washington and Richmond combines liberal-arts scale with regional opportunity.
- Center for Career and Professional Development
- Academic choices and structure
- Separate institutional opportunity from individual access
QUICK READ
- Location
- Fredericksburg, Virginia · Small-city setting
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 3,566
- Aggregate admission rate
- 79.8%
- Average net price
- $20,667
FIT SNAPSHOT
How this environment may feel
These are directional interpretations of the college environment, not a score or universal verdict.
Learning by doing
highResearch, internships, community engagement, field study, and creative work extend close undergraduate teaching.
What could vary?
Access and format vary by program.
Community closeness
moderateThe campus setting supports recurring contact and a recognizable community.
What could vary?
Belonging still depends on participation.
School spirit
moderateCampus traditions and student organizations provide shared entry points.
What could vary?
Participation and visibility vary.
WHY IT MAY FIT
Consider University of Mary Washington if…
- You want a public liberal-arts education.
- You want close faculty teaching.
- You want historic Fredericksburg.
- You want Washington–Richmond access.
POSSIBLE TENSIONS
It may not fit if…
- You do not want a large research university.
- You do not want a major-city campus.
- You do not want extensive engineering options.
- You do not want large-scale athletics.
WHAT STANDS OUT
The environment behind the name
Center for Career and Professional Development
Research, internships, community engagement, field study, and creative work extend close undergraduate teaching.
Academic choices and structure
Programs in humanities, sciences, business, education, historic preservation, arts, and social sciences sit within a public liberal-arts university, with the campus setting influencing access, community, and daily life.
Source: Academics
A setting that shapes the experience
Fredericksburg, Virginia gives students a distinct context for campus life, work, community, and recreation.
LOOK CLOSER
Questions worth asking before you decide
Use these prompts during a visit, an information session, or a conversation with a current student.
- 1
Separate institutional opportunity from individual access
University of Mary Washington documents substantial opportunities, but availability can differ by program, timing, prerequisites, capacity, and student initiative.
- 2
Interpret scale and selectivity carefully
Federal data report 3,566 undergraduates and an aggregate admission rate of 79.8%. These figures describe the institution, not an individual applicant’s probability or a particular program’s experience.
- 3
Use the current price for your circumstances
Federal data report an average net price of $20,667. This historical average is not a quote; residency, income, housing, aid eligibility, and program costs can materially change what a family pays.
FEDERAL CLERY DATA
Campus safety statistics, with context
Federal Clery records describe reported incidents within defined campus geography. They are not a measure of crime prevalence or an overall safety rating.
2024 reported on-campus offenses:7
Per 1,000 enrolled:1.8
Reporting campuses:3
COMPARE THE TRADEOFFS
Schools that sharpen the question
A useful comparison for students evaluating University of Mary Washington across academics, setting, scale, and student experience.
A useful comparison for students evaluating University of Mary Washington across academics, setting, scale, and student experience.
A useful comparison for students evaluating University of Mary Washington across academics, setting, scale, and student experience.
EVIDENCE
Sources and method
View the reviewed sources
- Center for Career and Professional Development - University of Mary Washington (official, retrieved 2026-10-06)
- Academics - University of Mary Washington (official, retrieved 2026-10-06)
- University of Mary Washington institutional data - U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (federal, retrieved 2026-10-06)
Navastra interprets University of Mary Washington’s documented academic environment, setting, opportunities, and federal reference fields through preference dimensions. The page describes documented structures, not every student’s experience. It does not calculate an individual fit score, predict admission, or estimate a financial-aid award. Read the methodology →
Programs, policies, costs, and campus life change. Verify current details with the college ↗
PERSONALIZE THE QUESTION