Georgetown University

Georgetown University's published cost of attendance is $88,741, but need-based aid reshapes that figure meaningfully across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $5,064 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $18,329, and higher-income families pay approximately $57,403.

Azimuth ranks Georgetown University #1275 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. As with all income-band figures, these are medians within each band; individual aid packages vary, so some families pay more and some pay less than the figures shown.

Georgetown's aid structure is need-based, and the university participates in federal, institutional, and state aid programs. Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile, and the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) between Georgetown's sticker price and actual net cost is substantial for lower-income families — a gap that reflects the depth of institutional grant funding available to qualifying students.

Higher-income families, by contrast, see net prices closer to the published sticker, making Georgetown a more significant financial commitment for families without demonstrated need. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $15,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $33,944; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $119,773, median federal debt of $15,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $175 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Georgetown University earn median earnings of $119,773 four years after enrollment, placing Georgetown University in the 99.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $67,139 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).

Graduates earn about $12,163 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Georgetown University in the 89.0 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Georgetown University #9 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The degree mix at Georgetown University is anchored in Social Sciences, which accounts for 35% of graduates, followed by Business at 26% and Arts at 90%. Finance combines large cohort scale with strong earnings, making it the highest aggregate-return major at the university.

Azimuth ranks Political Science #34 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with 270 graduates earning median earnings of $79,502 four years after enrollment. The International Relations and National Security Studies program graduates 268 students with median earnings of $82,197, and Azimuth ranks the program #7 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Finance ranks #4 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with 214 graduates earning median earnings of $152,744, while Economics ranks #36 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with median earnings of $118,999.

Georgetown University's program mix is anchored in Social Sciences, which accounts for 35% of graduates, followed by Business at 26% and Arts at 9%. This concentration in policy-oriented, analytical, and applied-business fields reflects the university's positioning in Washington, D.C., where proximity to federal agencies, international organizations, and lobbying firms shapes both curriculum and career pipelines.

Across 38 programs serving roughly 2,208 students annually, 20 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold — a broad portfolio with several nationally competitive standouts. Political Science, the largest program with 270 graduates, delivers median 4-year earnings of $79,502.

Azimuth ranks the program #34 among nonprofit four-year institutions. On the earnings side, International Business leads with median 4-year earnings of $159,452 from a cohort of 79 graduates, and Azimuth ranks it #1 among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Finance follows with median 4-year earnings of $152,744 from 214 graduates, and Azimuth ranks it #4 among nonprofit four-year institutions. The International Relations and National Security Studies program graduates 268 students with median 4-year earnings of $82,197, and Azimuth ranks it #7 among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Several of Georgetown University's strongest programs are grad-school-dependent pathways — notably Finance and Economics — where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory because a meaningful share of graduates continue to law school, medical school, or doctoral programs. International Business and Finance, by contrast, are high-mobility programs where graduates enter the workforce directly and four-year earnings more closely reflect labor-market outcomes.