Howard vs. VMI

Deciding between Howard University 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.

Howard University
Virginia Military Institute

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Howard Washington, DC
  • VMI Lexington, VA
  • Setting
  • Howard Large City
  • VMI Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • Howard 14,890
  • VMI 1,527
  • Type
  • Howard Private 4 Year
  • VMI Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Howard #310
  • VMI #123
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Howard -
  • VMI -
  • Status
  • Howard Non-profit
  • VMI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Howard
  • VMI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • VMI $21,046
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • VMI $52,638
  • Room & Board
  • Howard $17,322
  • VMI $11,310
  • Average Net Price
  • Howard $33,368
  • VMI $18,825
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Howard $21,262
  • VMI $23,821
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Howard 99%
  • VMI 81%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Howard 34,211
  • VMI 2,066
  • Admitted
  • Howard 14,144
  • VMI 1,472
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Howard 41.3%
  • VMI 71.2%
  • Enrolled
  • Howard 19.4%
  • VMI 31.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Howard 1210
  • VMI 1160
  • Typical ACT score
  • Howard 25
  • VMI 27
  • Average High School GPA
  • Howard 3.66
  • VMI 3.65
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Howard A-
  • VMI A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Howard Challenging
  • VMI Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • Howard Low
  • VMI Low
  • ACT Range
  • Howard 22/28
  • VMI 24/31
  • SAT Range
  • Howard 1090/1320
  • VMI 1050/1270
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Howard Test optional
  • VMI Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Howard Feb 15, 2027
  • VMI Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Howard 13:1
  • VMI 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Howard
    • Business (20%)
    • Communication (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Psychology (9%)
  • VMI
    • Social Sciences (30%)
    • Engineering (23%)
    • History (14%)
    • Psychology (12%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Howard 63%
  • VMI 69%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Howard $51,800
  • VMI $62,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Howard 33%
  • VMI 84%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Howard $27,000
  • VMI $25,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Howard $279
  • VMI $258

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Howard 30%
  • VMI 86%
  • % Women
  • Howard 70%
  • VMI 14%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Howard Very Low
  • VMI Low
  • HBCU
  • Howard Yes
  • VMI No
  • % White
  • Howard 2%
  • VMI 80%
  • % Asian
  • Howard 1%
  • VMI 4%
  • % Black
  • Howard 91%
  • VMI 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Howard 0%
  • VMI 5%
  • % Native American
  • Howard 1%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Howard 0%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Howard 0%
  • VMI 2%
  • % International
  • Howard 5%
  • VMI 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Howard 0%
  • VMI 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Howard 2%
  • VMI 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Howard 94%
  • VMI 35%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Howard University in Washington, DC with Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Howard University is larger than VMI based on total student enrollment (14,890 students vs. 1,527 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Howard University is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); Virginia Military Institute is in Lexington, VA (Distant Rural setting).
  • Howard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia Military Institute is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Howard University 13:1; Virginia Military Institute 9:1.

Howard vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard 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 Howard ($18,825 vs. $33,368).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 34.7% lower than at Howard University ($11,310 vs. $17,322).
  • Howard University is 70.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than VMI (about $14,764 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $21,046.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 47% higher at VMI than at Howard University (about $16,828 more per year; $52,638.00 vs. $35,810.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard University than at Virginia Military Institute (99% vs. 81%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 12% larger than aid received by Howard University students ($23,821 vs. $21,262).

Howard vs. VMI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Howard or VMI? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between VMI and Howard.

  • The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Howard University (1210) is 50 points higher than at VMI (1160).
  • Incoming VMI students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (27 vs. 25 at Howard).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Howard University 1090/1320; Virginia Military Institute 1050/1270.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Howard University 22/28; Virginia Military Institute 24/31.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Howard - Test optional; VMI - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Howard Feb 15, 2027; VMI Feb 1, 2027.
  • Enrolled freshman Howard students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at VMI (3.65).
  • VMI has a higher acceptance rate (71.2%) than Howard (41.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at Howard vs. 31.7% at VMI.

Howard vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard and VMI? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Virginia Military Institute's six-year graduation rate (69%) is higher than Howard University's (63%).
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn a median of about $10,300 more per year than Howard graduates about ten years after starting college ($62,100 vs. $51,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Virginia Military Institute graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than Howard graduates ($25,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, VMI graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Howard graduates ($258 vs. $279).
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 33%)

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.