Meredith vs. VMI

Deciding between Meredith 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.

Meredith College
Virginia Military Institute

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Meredith Raleigh, NC
  • VMI Lexington, VA
  • Setting
  • Meredith Large City
  • VMI Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • Meredith 1,465
  • VMI 1,527
  • Type
  • Meredith Private 4 Year
  • VMI Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Meredith #368
  • VMI #123
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Meredith -
  • VMI -
  • Status
  • Meredith Non-profit
  • VMI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Meredith
  • VMI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Meredith $45,630
  • VMI $21,046
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Meredith $45,630
  • VMI $52,638
  • Room & Board
  • Meredith $13,280
  • VMI $11,310
  • Average Net Price
  • Meredith $24,323
  • VMI $18,825
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Meredith $33,116
  • VMI $23,821
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Meredith 100%
  • VMI 81%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Meredith 1,983
  • VMI 2,066
  • Admitted
  • Meredith 1,471
  • VMI 1,472
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Meredith 74.2%
  • VMI 71.2%
  • Enrolled
  • Meredith 18.5%
  • VMI 31.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Meredith 1220
  • VMI 1160
  • Typical ACT score
  • Meredith 26
  • VMI 27
  • Average High School GPA
  • Meredith 3.52
  • VMI 3.65
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Meredith A-
  • VMI A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Meredith Difficult
  • VMI Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • Meredith Low
  • VMI Low
  • ACT Range
  • Meredith 23/29
  • VMI 24/31
  • SAT Range
  • Meredith 1098/1348
  • VMI 1050/1270
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Meredith Test optional
  • VMI Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Meredith Feb 15, 2027
  • VMI Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Meredith 10:1
  • VMI 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Meredith
    • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
    • Business (16%)
    • Psychology (10%)
    • Work and Family Studies (10%)
    • Communication (6%)
  • VMI
    • Social Sciences (30%)
    • Engineering (23%)
    • History (14%)
    • Psychology (12%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Meredith 59%
  • VMI 69%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Meredith $40,000
  • VMI $62,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Meredith 65%
  • VMI 84%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Meredith $26,000
  • VMI $25,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Meredith $268
  • VMI $258

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Meredith 2%
  • VMI 86%
  • % Women
  • Meredith 98%
  • VMI 14%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Meredith Medium
  • VMI Low
  • HBCU
  • Meredith No
  • VMI No
  • % White
  • Meredith 71%
  • VMI 80%
  • % Asian
  • Meredith 3%
  • VMI 4%
  • % Black
  • Meredith 10%
  • VMI 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Meredith 3%
  • VMI 5%
  • % Native American
  • Meredith 1%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Meredith 0%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Meredith 4%
  • VMI 2%
  • % International
  • Meredith 5%
  • VMI 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Meredith 2%
  • VMI 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Meredith 82%
  • VMI 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Meredith 18%
  • VMI 35%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Meredith College in Raleigh, NC 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 Meredith based on total student enrollment (1,527 students vs. 1,465 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Meredith College is located in Raleigh, NC (Large City setting); Virginia Military Institute is in Lexington, VA (Distant Rural setting).
  • Meredith College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia Military Institute is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Meredith College 10:1; Virginia Military Institute 9:1.

Meredith vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Meredith 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 Meredith ($18,825 vs. $24,323).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 14.8% lower than at Meredith College ($11,310 vs. $13,280).
  • Meredith College is 116.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than VMI (about $24,584 more per year; $45,630.00 vs. $21,046.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 15.4% higher at VMI than at Meredith College (about $7,008 more per year; $52,638.00 vs. $45,630.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Meredith College than at Virginia Military Institute (100% vs. 81%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Meredith College students is 39% larger than aid received by Virginia Military Institute students ($33,116 vs. $23,821).

Meredith vs. VMI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Meredith 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 Meredith.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Meredith College (1220) is 60 points higher than at VMI (1160).
  • Incoming VMI students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (27 vs. 26 at Meredith).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Meredith College 1098/1348; Virginia Military Institute 1050/1270.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Meredith College 23/29; Virginia Military Institute 24/31.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Meredith - Test optional; VMI - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Meredith Feb 15, 2027; VMI Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Meredith (3.52).
  • Meredith has a higher acceptance rate (74.2%) than VMI (71.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18.5% at Meredith vs. 31.7% at VMI.

Meredith vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Meredith 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 Meredith College's (59%).
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn a median of about $22,100 more per year than Meredith graduates about ten years after starting college ($62,100 vs. $40,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Virginia Military Institute graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than Meredith graduates ($25,000 vs. $26,000).
  • Among borrowers, VMI graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Meredith graduates ($258 vs. $268).
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Meredith students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 65%)

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.