George Mason is fueled by differences, but thrives in a shared dream: to change the world and create a better tomorrow. The university's vision is your world, transformed.
George Mason is All Together Different
The University's Mission
A public, comprehensive, research university established by the Commonwealth of Virginia in the National Capital Region, we are an innovative and inclusive academic community committed to creating a more just, free, and prosperous world.
High Quality
As Virginia’s largest public research university, George Mason University provides a college experience like no other.
- A top 50 public university according to the Wall Street Journal
- #52 public university and #109 among all universities nationally, according to U.S. News & World Report
- Best in Virginia for advancing social mobility
- #25 most innovative public university, and #1 in the state
Flexible
George Mason offers more than 200 undergraduate and graduate degrees and numerous minors and certificate programs to customize your education and meet your career and personal goals. The university leads the nation in community college transfers and welcoming veterans and military students, and has thoroughly integrated mixed-mode learning since the COVID pandemic.
- Nation’s largest university and among the first to adopt test-optional admissions in 2007
- Direct-admissions program with 22 local area high schools automatically admitted nearly 400 eligible students for the 2024-25 school year, streamlining the path to a college education
Inclusive
George Mason University strives to create an inclusive environment that celebrates everyone for who they are. The university admits anyone who is academically prepared to work and succeed at Virginia’s largest public research university and its most diverse.
- 91% acceptance rate
- 71% graduation rate
- 89% of recent alumni report career advancement within six months of graduating
George Mason's six-year graduation rate exceeds the national average, with no disparity based on ethnicity or economic status.
Responsive
From health care to technology, nonprofits to government, George Mason's alumni are enacting change in the world today. Regional employers turn to George Mason for talent because they know the quality of our students. In keeping pace with industry trends, George Mason has both created and retired more academic programs in Virginia than all other public universities combined. The university also created the commonwealth’s first school of computing and first college of public health, as well as the nation’s first cyber security engineering program.
Problem-Solvers
Every day, George Mason's faculty, staff, students, and partners work to solve pressing problems, illuminate important issues, and shape decisions on policy. The university's research enterprise is large and rapidly growing. Its faculty work tirelessly to find answers to the grand challenges of our time and translate their findings for both the classroom and the commercial market.
- #1 in Virginia and #25 nationally among public institutions for innovation (U.S. News and World Report)
- One of the top ten in research growth among U.S. public universities (National Science Foundation)
- Eighteen programs ranked best in Virginia based on performance in research (EduRank)
Explore our Research
It's a horror straight from cinema... if you are a crab. Tiny estuary mud crabs are battling an invasive parasite that takes over their brains and bodies. George Mason professor Amy Fowler and a team of researchers are learning about these invaders and their impact on our region's ecology.
The Human-Centric Design Lab aims to make technology meet the needs of the end user. Vivian Motti and Anya Evermore have identified wearable technologies that can better the lives of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, thereby decreasing the need for support staff.
Global Leaders
George Mason students’ diversity mirrors the projected diversity of the United States in the mid-21st century, which is when today’s students will reach the prime of their careers. By educating them in an environment that looks like the future society they will lead, the university is preparing them now in a way that less diverse universities cannot replicate. George Mason had a record number of graduates in spring 2023— nearly 11,000 degree and certificate earners. In fall 2023, George Mason welcomed its largest and most academically prepared incoming freshman class.
In September 2024, George Mason University appointed Amarda Shehu as its inaugural Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer. This appointment is essential for the university to lead the strategic integration of AI across research, academics, and partnerships, thereby enhancing innovation, ethical governance, and addressing significant societal challenges.