US CollegesColleges in District of Columbia: cost, admission and results
17 degree-granting colleges and universities in District of Columbia, with the admission rate, net price, graduation rate and earnings of each. The largest are George Washington University (11,182 undergraduates), Howard University (10,108 undergraduates), Strayer University-Global Region (9,376 undergraduates).
District of Columbia at a glance
- Colleges on this site
- 17
- Public / private nonprofit / for-profit
- 1 / 13 / 3
- Median in-state tuition and fees
- $24,628
- Median net price a year
- $29,970
- Median admission rate
- 58%
- Median graduation rate
- 64%
- Median earnings 10 years on
- $58,920
No college in this list matches.
| College | Admission rate | Net price a year | Graduation rate | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American UniversityWashington, DC · Private nonprofit | 62% | $41,302 | 75% | $85,458 |
| Gallaudet UniversityWashington, DC · Private nonprofit | 58% | $27,398 | 52% | $49,334 |
| George Washington UniversityWashington, DC · Private nonprofit | 47% | $35,760 | 83% | $96,691 |
| Georgetown UniversityWashington, DC · Private nonprofit | 13% | $33,661 | 94% | $110,516 |
| Howard UniversityWashington, DC · Private nonprofit | 41% | $33,002 | 74% | $69,682 |
| Institute of World PoliticsWashington, DC · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| NewU UniversityWashington, DC · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of StudiesWashington, DC · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and FamilyWashington, DC · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Strayer University-District of ColumbiaWashington, DC · Private for-profit | not reported | not reported | not reported | $44,016 |
| Strayer University-Global RegionWashington, DC · Private for-profit | not reported | $23,175 | 10% | $44,016 |
| The Catholic University of AmericaWashington, DC · Private nonprofit | 83% | $32,543 | 76% | $81,308 |
| The Chicago School at Washington DCWashington, DC · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | $60,280 |
| Trinity Washington UniversityWashington, DC · Private nonprofit | 100% | $12,820 | 55% | $57,561 |
| University of the District of ColumbiaWashington, DC · Public | not reported | $9,519 | 30% | $49,165 |
| University of the Potomac-Washington DC CampusWashington, DC · Private for-profit | not reported | $17,778 | 40% | $43,211 |
| Wesley Theological SeminaryWashington, DC · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
"Not reported" means the Department of Education has no figure, often because the college is small, new, or does not take first-time students. Medians are the middle value of the colleges listed here.
The colleges of District of Columbia in brief
Of the 17 colleges listed for District of Columbia, 1 is public, 13 are private nonprofit and 3 are private for-profit. By level, 10 mainly award bachelor's degrees, 2 mainly award two-year associate degrees and 5 mainly award graduate degrees. Together they teach about 55,231 undergraduates, 6% of them at public colleges. The three largest, George Washington University, Howard University and Strayer University-Global Region, hold 56% of the total, and the middle-sized college has 3,252 undergraduates. All of them are in Washington.
What college costs in District of Columbia
At the private nonprofit colleges the median is $49,675. Published prices are not what most families pay. Counting colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the lowest average net price after grants is at University of the District of Columbia ($9,519) and Trinity Washington University ($12,820) and the highest at American University ($41,302) and George Washington University ($35,760). The median net price across the state, $29,970, is 73% above the national median of $17,357.
Getting in
7 of the 17 colleges report an admission rate. The hardest to get into are Georgetown University (13% admitted), Howard University (41% admitted) and George Washington University (47% admitted). 2 of them admit at least seven applicants in ten. 4 colleges have an open admission policy and report no rate: they do not turn applicants away on grades or test scores.
Finishing and earning
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the highest share of students finishing their course is at Georgetown University (94%), George Washington University (83%) and The Catholic University of America (76%). The median graduation rate of the state's colleges is 64%, against 49% for the country. Ten years after starting, former students with federal aid earn the most at Georgetown University ($110,516), George Washington University ($96,691) and American University ($85,458). The state median for that measure is $58,920, 11% above the national $53,132. Students who finish leave with a median federal loan debt of $23,438 (national median $19,994). Earnings follow the subjects a college teaches as much as its quality, so compare like with like.
Questions about colleges in District of Columbia
How many colleges are there in District of Columbia?
This site lists 17 open, degree-granting colleges and universities in District of Columbia, out of 3,161 on the whole site. Schools that mainly give short certificates are not counted.
What is the largest college in District of Columbia?
George Washington University in Washington, with about 11,182 undergraduate students.
Which college in District of Columbia has the lowest net price?
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, University of the District of Columbia: students with federal aid paid an average of $9,519 a year after grants. Students from other states or countries usually pay more.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, data released on 2 November 2026; checked in November 2026. Net price, debt and earnings describe students who received US federal aid. Costs change each year. This is official data for general information, not advice: confirm costs and admission rules on the college's own website and at collegescorecard.ed.gov.