BC vs. VMI

Deciding between Bridgewater College and Virginia Military Institute? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Bridgewater College
Virginia Military Institute

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • BC Bridgewater, VA
  • VMI Lexington, VA
  • Setting
  • BC Small Suburban
  • VMI Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • BC 1,448
  • VMI 1,527
  • Type
  • BC Private 4 Year
  • VMI Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • BC #623
  • VMI #123
  • Religious Affiliation
  • BC Church of Brethren
  • VMI -
  • Status
  • BC Non-profit
  • VMI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • BC
  • VMI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • BC $16,090
  • VMI $21,046
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • BC $16,090
  • VMI $52,638
  • Room & Board
  • BC $14,850
  • VMI $11,310
  • Average Net Price
  • BC $11,316
  • VMI $18,825
  • Average Grant Aid
  • BC $47,288
  • VMI $23,821
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • BC 100%
  • VMI 81%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • BC 3,938
  • VMI 2,066
  • Admitted
  • BC 3,612
  • VMI 1,472
  • Acceptance Rate
  • BC 91.7%
  • VMI 71.2%
  • Enrolled
  • BC 10.1%
  • VMI 31.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • BC 1190
  • VMI 1160
  • Typical ACT score
  • BC
  • VMI 27
  • Average High School GPA
  • BC 3.61
  • VMI 3.65
  • Typical High School Grades
  • BC A-
  • VMI A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • BC Difficult
  • VMI Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • BC
  • VMI Low
  • ACT Range
  • BC
  • VMI 24/31
  • SAT Range
  • BC 1020/1360
  • VMI 1050/1270
  • Submit Test Scores
  • BC Test optional
  • VMI Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • BC May 1, 2027
  • VMI Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • BC 13:1
  • VMI 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • BC
    • Business (17%)
    • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • Work and Family Studies (8%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • VMI
    • Social Sciences (30%)
    • Engineering (23%)
    • History (14%)
    • Psychology (12%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • BC 59%
  • VMI 69%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • BC $43,100
  • VMI $62,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • BC 77%
  • VMI 84%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • BC $27,000
  • VMI $25,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • BC $279
  • VMI $258

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • BC 52%
  • VMI 86%
  • % Women
  • BC 48%
  • VMI 14%
  • Racial Diversity
  • BC Low
  • VMI Low
  • HBCU
  • BC No
  • VMI No
  • % White
  • BC 73%
  • VMI 80%
  • % Asian
  • BC 1%
  • VMI 4%
  • % Black
  • BC 11%
  • VMI 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • BC 5%
  • VMI 5%
  • % Native American
  • BC 0%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • BC 0%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • BC 5%
  • VMI 2%
  • % International
  • BC 1%
  • VMI 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • BC 4%
  • VMI 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • BC 80%
  • VMI 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • BC 19%
  • VMI 35%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • BC Yes
  • VMI Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • BC No
  • VMI Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • BC Yes
  • VMI Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • BC No
  • VMI No
  • Daycare Facility
  • BC No
  • VMI No

Comparable Facts

Compare Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, VA with Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Virginia Military Institute is larger than BC based on total student enrollment (1,527 students vs. 1,448 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Bridgewater College is located in Bridgewater, VA (Small Suburban setting); Virginia Military Institute is in Lexington, VA (Distant Rural setting).
  • Bridgewater College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia Military Institute is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Bridgewater College 13:1; Virginia Military Institute 9:1.

BC vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or VMI? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater College than VMI ($11,316 vs. $18,825).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 23.8% lower than at Bridgewater College ($11,310 vs. $14,850).
  • Virginia Military Institute is 30.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than BC (about $4,956 more per year; $21,046.00 vs. $16,090.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 227.1% higher at VMI than at Bridgewater College (about $36,548 more per year; $52,638.00 vs. $16,090.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Bridgewater College than at Virginia Military Institute (100% vs. 81%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 98.5% larger than aid received by Virginia Military Institute students ($47,288 vs. $23,821).

BC vs. VMI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BC or VMI? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between VMI and BC.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Bridgewater College (1190) is 30 points higher than at VMI (1160).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Bridgewater College 1020/1360; Virginia Military Institute 1050/1270.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsVirginia Military Institute 24/31.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: BC - Test optional; VMI - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: BC May 1, 2027; VMI Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at BC (3.61).
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (91.7%) than VMI (71.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 10.1% at BC vs. 31.7% at VMI.

BC vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for BC and VMI? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Virginia Military Institute's six-year graduation rate (69%) is higher than Bridgewater College's (59%).
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn a median of about $19,000 more per year than BC graduates about ten years after starting college ($62,100 vs. $43,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Virginia Military Institute graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than BC graduates ($25,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, VMI graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than BC graduates ($258 vs. $279).
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BC students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 77%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.