U of A vs. Mason

Should I go to University of Arizona or George Mason University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if U of A or Mason is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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University of Arizona vs. George Mason University comparison
University of Arizona George Mason University College 3 College 4
University of Arizona George Mason University
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Overview

 U of A Mason
Location Tucson, AZ Fairfax, VA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 53,001 39,527
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #269 #239
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arizona.edu gmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 U of A Mason
Tuition (In State) $11,871 $10,095
Tuition (Out of State) $39,340 $35,677
Room & Board $14,400 $15,151
Avg Net Price $18,144 $18,900
Avg Grant Aid $16,511 $11,311
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 72%

Admission

 U of A Mason
Applied 56,466 22,579
Admitted 48,369 20,057
Acceptance Rate 85.7% 88.8%
Enrolled % 18.9% 22.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/30 25/30
SAT Range 1160/1420 1140/1340
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 U of A Mason
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 U of A Mason
Graduation Rate 61% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,000 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $196 $204

Diversity

 U of A Mason
% Men 10% 13%
% Women 11% 17%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 52% 43%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 25% 13%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 6% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 U of A Mason
% In-State 50% 77%
% Out-of-State 44% 16%

Campus

 U of A Mason
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Arizona is larger than than Mason based on total student enrollment (53,001 students vs. 39,527 students)

U of A vs. Mason Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, U of A or Mason?

  • University of Arizona is 17.6% more expensive to attend than Mason for in-state tuition ($11,871.00 vs. $10,095.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.3% higher at U of A than George Mason University ($39,340.00 vs. $35,677.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Arizona than Mason ($18,144 vs. $18,900)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arizona are 5.2% lower than costs at George Mason University ($14,400 vs. $15,151)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Arizona than George Mason University (97% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Arizona students is 46% larger than aid received George Mason University ($16,511 vs. $11,311)

U of A vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, U of A or Mason? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Mason or U of A .

  • Accepted freshman Mason students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at U of A (3.48)
  • Mason has a higher acceptance rate (88.8%) than U of A (85.7%)

U of A vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, U of A or Mason? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Mason and U of A.

  • The graduation rate at Mason is higher than University of Arizona (64% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from George Mason University earn on average $7,900 more per year than U of A graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $54,000)
  • University of Arizona students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than Mason graduates. ($19,000 vs. $19,750)
  • U of A graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Mason graduates. ($196 vs. $204)
  • More Mason graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former U of A students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 66%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/