Washington College
Washington College at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Washington College Featured Rankings
About Washington College
According to Wikipedia, Washington College is a private liberal arts college in Chestertown, Maryland. Maryland granted Washington College its charter in 1782. George Washington supported the founding of the college by consenting to have the "College at Chester" named in his honor, through generous financial support, and through service on the college's Board of Visitors and Governors. Washington College is the 10th-oldest college in the United States and was the first college chartered after American independence. The school became coeducational in 1891.
Washington College Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,539 | 57% | 84% | 66% | 1265 | 29 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Washington College Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $56,988 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $16,571 |
| 30K - 48K | $17,277 |
| 48K - 75K | $20,496 |
| 75K - 110K | $30,980 |
| 110K+ | $34,500 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Washington College Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Washington College students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $74,001 a year, and 94% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Washington College's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads |
|---|---|
| 958 | 958 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Washington College?
Washington College is located at 300 Washington Ave, Chestertown, MD 21620-1438.
How Safe is Washington College?
Like every college that receives federal student aid, Washington College publishes an annual security report with its campus crime statistics and safety policies. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Washington College has a violent crime rate of 0.11% and a property crime rate of 0.11%. Chestertown has a violent crime rate of 0.23% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 1.85%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Washington College Known For?
Washington College is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Physics
- Literature
- History
- Chemistry
- Communications
- Political Science
- Economics
- Psychology
- Biology
- Mathematics
- Anthropology
- Philosophy
- Sociology
- Computer Science
Washington College's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Washington College's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Washington College ranks #239 in the U.S. and #1051 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesWashington College ranks #278 in the U.S. and #815 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesWashington College ranks #407 in the U.S. and #1157 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesWashington College ranks #424 in the U.S. and #2108 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesWashington College ranks #432 in the U.S. and #1604 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesWashington College ranks #457 in the U.S. and #1868 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesWashington College ranks #463 in the U.S. and #2764 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesWashington College ranks #468 in the U.S. and #1194 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesWashington College ranks #503 in the U.S. and #2144 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesWashington College ranks #511 in the U.S. and #2085 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesWashington College ranks #709 in the U.S. and #2217 worldwide for influence in Anthropology.
anthropology DegreesWashington College ranks #870 in the U.S. and #2881 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesWashington College ranks #1095 in the U.S. and #3687 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesWashington College ranks #1161 in the U.S. and #5024 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesWho Are Washington College's Most Influential Alumni?
Washington College's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Literature, Communications, and Political Science. Here are some of Washington College's most famous alumni:
- James G. Blaine
- An American politician .
- James M. Cain
- An American novelist, short story writer, journalist.
- William Holmes McGuffey
- An American educator .
- William O. Baker
- An American chemist.
- Robert K. Crane
- An American biochemist.
- Stephan Lewandowsky
- An Australian psychologist.
- Linda Hamilton
- An American actress.
- Ralph Snyderman
- A Chancellor of Duke University.
- Laura San Giacomo
- An American actress.
- William Holland Wilmer
- An Episcopal priest.
- Kenneth M. Merz Jr.
- An American biochemist and molecular biologist.
- Marcia A. Invernizzi
- An American writer.
