First college chartered in independent America, founded 1782 with George Washington's blessing.
Washington College offers 32 majors, 54 minors, and professional programs in engineering, pre-health, pre-law, and teaching. The college confers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Master of Arts degrees (in English, psychology, and history). Most popular majors include Business Administration & Management, Environmental Science, Biology, English, History, Political Science, and Economics. All students complete a Senior Capstone Experience—a research paper, comprehensive exam, portfolio, artistic creation, or community project—before graduation. The college is particularly renowned for its creative writing program and hosts the Rose O'Neill Literary House, which offers over 100 internships annually and publishes the Cherry Tree literary journal.
The 112-acre campus in Chestertown features historic buildings including Middle, East, and West Halls (built 1844–1854, on the National Register of Historic Places). Housing accommodates approximately 1,056 students; only seniors may apply to live off campus. The college hosts over 90 student clubs and maintains strong traditions including the George Washington Birthday Ball, War on the Shore (annual lacrosse rivalry with Salisbury University), and May Day (two-day festival on April 30–May 1). Greek life comprises two men's fraternities and two women's sororities, with 4% of men and 6% of women participating. The college is home to three centers of excellence: the Center for Environment and Society, the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, and the Rose O'Neill Literary House.
For the 2025–2026 academic year, 64% of first-year applicants and 48% of transfer students were accepted. The mean SAT total among first-year applicants was 1198 (24% submitted scores); average high school GPA was 3.59. Approximately 51% of incoming first-year students were from Maryland, with 49% from out of state or 24 foreign countries. The student body is 24.8% minority students (9.4% African-American, 10.4% Hispanic-American, 2.1% Asian-American, 0.7% Native American or Pacific Islander). Eighty-four percent of students lived on campus during 2025–2026.
Washington College competes in 20 varsity sports across the Centennial Conference, Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference, and other leagues. The men's lacrosse team won the 1998 NCAA Division III National Championship and has earned All-America honors 226 times. The college fielded varsity baseball since at least the early 1870s and men's basketball for over 100 seasons. Approximately 30% of students attend graduate school within one year of graduation, and approximately 45% do so within five years. The college was ranked 92nd among national liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report (2026 edition) and placed in the top 15% of all U.S. colleges by The Princeton Review (2025).