William & Mary Out-of-State Costs (Tuition & Fees)
For a non-Virginia undergraduate, William & Mary’s cost includes tuition and required fees, plus housing, meals, books, travel, and personal expenses. The exact bill depends on the academic year, residency status, and living choices. Check the official rate for your entry year, then use the Net Price Calculator and your aid offer to estimate what your family may actually pay.
The most useful first step is to separate the published price from your likely cost. Tuition alone will not show the full amount you need to plan for, and a financial aid estimate is not a final offer. I recommend building a year-by-year budget before comparing William & Mary with other colleges.
William & Mary out-of-state costs: what the price includes
This section explains the main cost terms so you can compare like with like. The annual total may include charges paid directly to William & Mary and estimated costs you pay elsewhere. Rates can change by academic year, so use the official schedule that matches the student’s entry term, not a figure copied from an older page.
Tuition is the charge for instruction. Mandatory fees are required university charges beyond tuition. Together, these form an important part of the bill, but they are not the full cost of attendance.
William & Mary’s cost of attendance, or COA, is a budget estimate for one school year. It may include tuition and fees, housing, food, books and supplies, transportation, personal expenses, and health insurance if applicable. Some items are billed by the university; others are estimates for costs you may pay directly.
| Cost item | Usually billed by the university? | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Nonresident undergraduate tuition | Yes | Rate for the correct academic year and course load |
| Required fees | Usually | Which fees are mandatory for the student |
| Housing and meal plan | Often, if selected through the university | Residence and meal-plan choices |
| Books and supplies | Not always | Program needs and course materials |
| Transportation | Usually not | Distance from home and travel plans |
| Personal expenses | No | The student’s expected spending |
| Health insurance | Depends on the student and current policy | Whether a charge applies and whether a waiver is allowed |
Do not add an estimated expense twice. For example, if a housing figure is already included in the university’s COA, do not add it again when estimating the annual total. At the same time, check whether the student’s actual living plan costs more or less than the estimate.
Key takeaway: Compare full COA figures, not tuition-only figures, and keep billed and non-billed costs separate.
How to confirm the right nonresident rate
The correct price depends on the student’s enrollment term, undergraduate status, and residency classification. Start with the official William & Mary tuition and fee schedule and cost-of-attendance information for the relevant year. Confirm any course-load or program assumptions before using the figures in a family budget.
A student should not assume that living in Virginia for part of the year changes their tuition classification. Residency for tuition is determined under applicable rules and university procedures. If the classification is unclear, ask William & Mary which documents and deadlines apply before using an in-state rate in your estimate.
Use this sequence:
- Identify the planned entry term, such as fall or spring, and the academic year.
- Confirm that the schedule applies to undergraduate students.
- Check the nonresident tuition line and each required fee.
- Review the COA budget and note which expenses are estimates rather than university charges.
- Ask the university about any unclear classification, fee, insurance, housing, or enrollment assumptions.
The annual price can change. Do not treat a past year’s rate as a promise for a future year, and do not multiply the first-year price by four without allowing for possible annual increases or changes in housing and other costs.
For current figures, use William & Mary’s official tuition, fees, and cost-of-attendance pages. If a page shows more than one academic year, match the figures to the student’s entry year and confirm whether later-year rates have been published.
Key takeaway: Save or print the schedule you used, including its academic year. That makes later comparisons easier and helps prevent mixing rates from different years.
Estimate the total cost, not just tuition
A workable budget includes both the university bill and likely spending outside it. COA is a planning tool, not a guarantee of what each student will spend. Make a separate estimate for each year, using the student’s housing, food, travel, and course-material plans.
Start with the published COA. Then compare each line with your own likely costs. A student who lives far from campus may spend more on travel than the estimate suggests. A student with a different housing or meal arrangement may also have a different total.
| Budget step | Amount to enter | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition and required fees | Official nonresident undergraduate rate | Treat as billed charges unless the schedule says otherwise |
| Housing and food | Official estimate or selected plan | Replace with a specific plan when known |
| Books and supplies | Official estimate or personal estimate | Check course and program needs |
| Transportation | Official estimate or family estimate | Include trips between campus and home |
| Personal expenses | Official estimate or student budget | Use a realistic monthly amount |
| Health insurance | Applicable official charge, if any | Confirm whether it applies and ask about waiver rules |
| Grants and scholarships | Aid offer or estimate | Subtract these when calculating estimated net price |
| Loans and work-study | Aid offer, if awarded | List separately; they are not discounts |
Here is the basic calculation:
Estimated net price = total cost of attendance − grants and scholarships.
This figure is still an estimate. It does not mean that the family’s cash bill will match the result, because the COA can include non-billed expenses and the student may use savings, work, or borrowing to cover costs. Keep those funding sources separate from the price reduction provided by grants and scholarships.
Key takeaway: Build one total for the full COA and another for expected billed charges. They answer different questions.
Financial aid and the price your family may pay
Financial aid can lower the amount a family needs to cover, but eligibility and award amounts vary. The Net Price Calculator can help estimate costs using the information entered. Its result is not an aid offer. The written offer from William & Mary is the source to use when planning actual grants, scholarships, loans, or work-study.
Complete the FAFSA and, if William & Mary requires it for the student’s institutional aid, the CSS Profile. Check the current aid-year instructions for deadlines, required documents, and priority dates. Requirements and dates can change, so use the university’s current financial aid guidance rather than relying on an old checklist.
When an aid offer arrives, separate its parts:
- Grants and scholarships are aid that generally does not need to be repaid, subject to the award’s terms.
- Loans must be repaid under the loan’s terms. They help finance the cost but do not reduce the cost.
- Work-study is an opportunity to earn wages through eligible employment. It is not money automatically deducted from the bill.
Review renewal rules for every grant or scholarship. Check whether the award depends on financial need, academic progress, full-time enrollment, or other conditions. Ask how the aid may change if family finances, enrollment, or housing plans change.
Key takeaway: Use the calculator to plan, then use the written aid offer to make a decision. Do not count loans as discounts.
Compare cost scenarios before choosing
A scenario is a budget built around one set of choices, such as living on campus or commuting. It helps you see how cost may change without pretending that every student has the same bill. The examples below are planning cases, not William & Mary price quotes; fill them with official figures and your own likely expenses.
| Planning case | Main cost changes | Questions to answer |
|---|---|---|
| Student living on campus | Housing and food may be part of the university bill; travel and personal costs remain | Which room and meal plan are included in the budget? |
| Student with a different housing plan | Housing and food may differ from the standard estimate | Is the choice available, and what are its full costs? |
| Student traveling a long distance | Transportation may exceed the COA estimate | How many trips home are realistic each year? |
| Student receiving grant aid | Grants may reduce estimated net price | What are the award’s renewal rules? |
| Student using loans or work-study | Financing may cover part of the gap | What must be repaid, or earned through work? |
For each case, use the same tuition and fee year. Change only the assumptions that differ, such as travel, housing, or grant aid. This makes the result easier to interpret.
For example, compare an on-campus budget with a second budget that uses a different housing assumption. Keep tuition, fees, and aid constant. The difference between the totals then shows the effect of that housing choice, rather than a mix of unrelated changes.
Key takeaway: Use scenarios to test decisions, not to claim that an estimated amount is guaranteed.
Four-year planning and degree progress
A four-year estimate is a projection, not a fixed bill. It depends on annual price changes, aid renewal, course availability, the student’s choices, and progress toward degree requirements. Reviewing the plan each year can help you spot extra costs before they become difficult to manage.
A standard bachelor’s degree generally requires at least 120 credits, but the student’s specific program and catalog rules govern the actual requirements. A credit is a unit of academic progress. The number of credits alone does not confirm that all required courses, major rules, or graduation conditions have been met.
Before enrollment and during each registration period:
- Review the degree audit and remaining course requirements.
- Confirm how transfer credits apply, if the student has them.
- Check course availability and prerequisites with the relevant academic office.
- Ask how a change in enrollment or program could affect aid.
- Revisit tuition, fees, housing, and aid for the next academic year.
Extra terms can increase the total cost because tuition, fees, housing, food, and travel may continue. I recommend treating degree progress as part of cost planning, while avoiding the assumption that every student can or should follow the same course schedule.
William & Mary is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Accreditation does not determine a student’s personal cost or guarantee a career result. For cost planning, the practical question is whether the student’s program requirements and expected time to completion fit the family’s budget.
Key takeaway: Check the degree audit and aid-renewal terms together. A budget is stronger when it reflects both the price and the likely path to graduation.
Frequently asked questions
These answers cover common questions about nonresident undergraduate costs. For an exact figure, use the official schedule and aid information for the student’s entry year. Individual charges and aid can differ based on residency, enrollment, living plans, and eligibility.
What is the out-of-state tuition at William & Mary?
Use the official undergraduate tuition and fee schedule for the academic year the student will attend. Do not use an older rate as a current quote.
Is tuition the same as the total cost of attendance?
No. Cost of attendance can include tuition and fees, housing, food, books, transportation, personal expenses, and applicable insurance.
Does the cost-of-attendance estimate equal the university bill?
No. It may include estimates for expenses that are not billed by William & Mary, such as travel and personal costs.
How can I estimate the net price?
Use William & Mary’s Net Price Calculator, then compare its estimate with the student’s written financial aid offer. The calculator is not a final offer.
Do loans reduce the net price?
No. Grants and scholarships reduce estimated net price. Loans must be repaid, and work-study must be earned through eligible work.
Does a student need the FAFSA and CSS Profile?
The student should complete the FAFSA and check William & Mary’s current instructions to see whether the CSS Profile is required for institutional aid. Follow the current deadlines and document requests.
Can a nonresident student qualify for Virginia tuition rates?
Do not assume so based on living in Virginia temporarily. Ask William & Mary about residency classification rules and the evidence or deadlines that apply.
Can housing or meal choices change the estimated cost?
Yes. The budget can change with the student’s housing and food arrangements. Compare the official assumptions with the student’s actual plan.
Will the first-year price stay the same for four years?
Not necessarily. Rates and living costs may change. Build a year-by-year estimate and update it when new official schedules and aid offers are available.
What should transfer students check?
Ask how each transfer credit applies to the specific degree requirements, then review the degree audit and likely time to completion. Confirm the effect of enrollment plans on tuition and aid with the university.
(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Christopher Langston. Visit our Meet the Team page.)
