CofC vs. VMI

Deciding between College of Charleston 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.

College of Charleston
Virginia Military Institute

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • CofC Charleston, SC
  • VMI Lexington, VA
  • Setting
  • CofC Midsize City
  • VMI Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • CofC 11,926
  • VMI 1,527
  • Type
  • CofC Public 4 Year
  • VMI Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • CofC #384
  • VMI #123
  • Religious Affiliation
  • CofC -
  • VMI -
  • Status
  • CofC Non-profit
  • VMI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • CofC
  • VMI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • CofC $12,978
  • VMI $21,046
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • CofC $38,296
  • VMI $52,638
  • Room & Board
  • CofC $14,332
  • VMI $11,310
  • Average Net Price
  • CofC $21,004
  • VMI $18,825
  • Average Grant Aid
  • CofC $8,983
  • VMI $23,821
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • CofC 95%
  • VMI 81%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • CofC 31,680
  • VMI 2,066
  • Admitted
  • CofC 19,016
  • VMI 1,472
  • Acceptance Rate
  • CofC 60%
  • VMI 71.2%
  • Enrolled
  • CofC 11.9%
  • VMI 31.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • CofC 1230
  • VMI 1160
  • Typical ACT score
  • CofC 27
  • VMI 27
  • Average High School GPA
  • CofC 3.94
  • VMI 3.65
  • Typical High School Grades
  • CofC A
  • VMI A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • CofC Difficult
  • VMI Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • CofC Low
  • VMI Low
  • ACT Range
  • CofC 25/30
  • VMI 24/31
  • SAT Range
  • CofC 1140/1310
  • VMI 1050/1270
  • Submit Test Scores
  • CofC Test optional
  • VMI Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • CofC Jan 15, 2027
  • VMI Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • CofC 16:1
  • VMI 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • CofC
    • Business (23%)
    • Social Sciences (11%)
    • Education (10%)
    • Communication (10%)
    • Biology (9%)
  • VMI
    • Social Sciences (30%)
    • Engineering (23%)
    • History (14%)
    • Psychology (12%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • CofC 63%
  • VMI 69%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • CofC $46,200
  • VMI $62,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • CofC 60%
  • VMI 84%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • CofC $21,500
  • VMI $25,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • CofC $222
  • VMI $258

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • CofC 32%
  • VMI 86%
  • % Women
  • CofC 68%
  • VMI 14%
  • Racial Diversity
  • CofC Low
  • VMI Low
  • HBCU
  • CofC No
  • VMI No
  • % White
  • CofC 80%
  • VMI 80%
  • % Asian
  • CofC 2%
  • VMI 4%
  • % Black
  • CofC 7%
  • VMI 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • CofC 5%
  • VMI 5%
  • % Native American
  • CofC 0%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • CofC 0%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • CofC 4%
  • VMI 2%
  • % International
  • CofC 1%
  • VMI 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • CofC 1%
  • VMI 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • CofC 43%
  • VMI 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • CofC 56%
  • VMI 35%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

College of Charleston is larger than VMI based on total student enrollment (11,926 students vs. 1,527 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • College of Charleston is located in Charleston, SC (Midsize City setting); Virginia Military Institute is in Lexington, VA (Distant Rural setting).
  • College of Charleston is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia Military Institute is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: College of Charleston 16:1; Virginia Military Institute 9:1.

CofC vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CofC 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 Virginia Military Institute than CofC ($18,825 vs. $21,004).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 21.1% lower than at College of Charleston ($11,310 vs. $14,332).
  • Virginia Military Institute is 62.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than CofC (about $8,068 more per year; $21,046.00 vs. $12,978.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 37.5% higher at VMI than at College of Charleston (about $14,342 more per year; $52,638.00 vs. $38,296.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of Charleston than at Virginia Military Institute (95% vs. 81%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 165.2% larger than aid received by College of Charleston students ($23,821 vs. $8,983).

CofC vs. VMI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CofC 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 CofC.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at College of Charleston (1230) is 70 points higher than at VMI (1160).
  • Incoming CofC students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 27) as students at VMI (27).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: College of Charleston 1140/1310; Virginia Military Institute 1050/1270.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: College of Charleston 25/30; Virginia Military Institute 24/31.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CofC - Test optional; VMI - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: CofC Jan 15, 2027; VMI Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman CofC students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at VMI (3.65).
  • VMI has a higher acceptance rate (71.2%) than CofC (60%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 11.9% at CofC vs. 31.7% at VMI.

CofC vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CofC 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 College of Charleston's (63%).
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn a median of about $15,900 more per year than CofC graduates about ten years after starting college ($62,100 vs. $46,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, College of Charleston graduates have a $3,500 lower median loan debt than VMI graduates ($21,500 vs. $25,000).
  • Among borrowers, CofC graduates have an estimated $36 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than VMI graduates ($222 vs. $258).
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CofC students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 60%)

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.