Is Georgetown or William & Mary more affordable for most students after financial aid?

The biggest practical tradeoff is that Georgetown can offer very strong need-based aid, but William & Mary often ends up cheaper overall, especially for Virginia residents. Georgetown is a private university with a much higher sticker price, while William & Mary is a public school whose in-state cost is usually far lower to begin with. For many families, that starting price difference matters more than whether Georgetown’s aid package looks generous on paper.

For a typical student, William & Mary is more often the more affordable option, particularly if you qualify for in-state tuition. Even for out-of-state students, William & Mary can still come in below Georgetown because Georgetown’s total cost of attendance is so high.

The main exception is for students with high financial need. Georgetown can sometimes become surprisingly affordable for lower-income families because it has substantial institutional resources and a strong commitment to meeting demonstrated need. If your family’s financial profile shows significant need, Georgetown may narrow the gap a lot, and in some cases it can match or beat William & Mary’s net price.

The simplest way to compare them is to use each school’s net price calculator, not the published tuition.