Babson College vs George Mason University (GMU)

Babson College and George Mason University, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Babson, a private business-focused college in Wellesley, Massachusetts, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 25%. Its strength lies in entrepreneurship and business management programs, attracting students seeking a rigorous education in these fields. In contrast, George Mason University, a public research university in Fairfax, Virginia, welcomes a more diverse student body with an acceptance rate of 70%. It excels in a wider range of disciplines, including engineering, computer science, and public policy, catering to a broader spectrum of academic interests. While both universities offer excellent education, their unique characteristics and strengths make them suitable for different types of students. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover which institution aligns best with your aspirations and goals.

	Babson College	George Mason University
Overview
Location	Wellesley, Massachusetts	Fairfax, Virginia
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	94.0%	84.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	25.4%	91.3%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $75 Graduate: $100	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $75
SAT range	1330 - 1480	1140 - 1350
ACT range	30 - 33	25 - 30
Students submitting SAT score	34.0%	37.0%
Students submitting ACT score	14.0%	3.0%
Total number of applicants	7,104	20,527
Total number of admissions given out	1,801	18,741
Admitted students who chose to enroll	650	3,986
Yield rate	36.1%	21.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$76,360	In state: $35,263 Out of state: $58,723
Average net price	$29,105	$18,841
Tuition	$54,944	In state: $9,510 Out of state: $32,970
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $11,910 Meal plan: $6,324	Room/dormitory: $7,620 Meal plan: $5,010
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	50.0% Average amount $42,890	70.0% Average amount $10,110
Students receiving federal student loan	30.0% Average amount $3,892	43.0% Average amount $5,006
Students taking out private loans	8.0% Average amount $24,863	6.0% Average amount $18,474

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,576 Men 56.9% Women 43.1%	26,882 Men 50.4% Women 49.6%
Graduate students	1,108 Men 58.1% Women 41.9%	11,746 Men 40.7% Women 59.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	18.9%
International students	30.8%	8.0%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,988	6,513
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Virginia Maryland District of Columbia Pennsylvania New York

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Mathematics and Statistics	Education Health Professions Business Computer and Information Science Engineering
Students to faculty ratio	16:1	16:1
Institutional accreditation	New England Commission on Higher Education	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	93.7%	70.1%
Dropout rate	6.1%	9.6%
Transferred out	N/A	16.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $114,003 Year 2: $103,078 Year 3: $118,620 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $61,039 Year 2: $61,600 Year 3: $76,406 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $65,923 Year 2: $67,101 Year 3: N/A	Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $96,837 Year 2: $109,763 Year 3: $127,586 Homeland Security (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $101,476 Year 2: $127,993 Year 3: $120,573 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $101,886 Year 2: $99,709 Year 3: $117,377 Computer Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $112,424 Year 2: $101,072 Year 3: $115,693 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $98,841 Year 2: $105,585 Year 3: $113,896 Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $121,226 Year 2: $92,632 Year 3: $105,664 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $101,843 Year 2: $100,690 Year 3: $101,702 Medical Illustration and Informatics (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $78,386 Year 2: $84,653 Year 3: $101,604 Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $86,911 Year 2: $91,448 Year 3: $99,722 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $94,065 Year 2: $92,277 Year 3: $94,785

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