Washington and Lee University

Lexington, Virginia · Private, nonprofit

All 6 assessed programs leave graduates out-earning a typical Virginia high-school graduate (about $36,613/yr). Another 29 could not be assessed.

What would this cost you?

My family earns and I expect to take

Family income	Net price per year
Under $30k	$-1,777
$30k to $48k	$75
$48k to $75k	$4,497
$75k to $110k	$8,162
$110k and up	$40,646
All families (average)	$23,781

Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, by family income (College Scorecard). It reflects students who received federal aid.

Program earnings vs a high-school graduate

6 of 35 programs could be assessed 17% have an earnings verdict

Programs by earnings versus a typical Virginia high-school graduate.
Program	Degree	Median earnings	vs a high-school grad	Verdict	Median debt	Years to repay	Recent completers
Law	First Professional Degree	$110,606	+$73,993	clears the bar	$97,335	1.3 yrs	119
Business Administration	Bachelor's Degree	$121,699	+$85,086	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	94
Economics	Bachelor's Degree	$115,837	+$79,224	clears the bar	$23,399	0.3 yrs	69
Political Science	Bachelor's Degree	$95,190	+$58,577	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	69
Accounting	Bachelor's Degree	$118,946	+$82,333	clears the bar	$16,750	0.2 yrs	37
History	Bachelor's Degree	$100,087	+$63,474	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Research Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	28
English	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	26
Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	26
Biology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Computer Science	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Neuroscience	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Fine Arts	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Public Relations and Advertising	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Physics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Natural Resources and Conservation	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Journalism	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Engineering Science	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Sociology and Anthropology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Geology and Earth Science	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Engineering, General	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Area Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Chemistry	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Philosophy	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Music	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Medieval and Renaissance Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Theatre	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Interdisciplinary Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Religion/Religious Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Engineering Physics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians measured four years after completion, compared with the state high-school-graduate benchmark ($36,613/yr). Debt is federal loans only. Suppressed values are shown as insufficient data, never imputed. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise.