MVNU vs. VMI

Should I go to Mount Vernon Nazarene University or Virginia Military Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MVNU or VMI is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Mount Vernon Nazarene University vs. Virginia Military Institute comparison
Mount Vernon Nazarene University Virginia Military Institute College 3 College 4
Virginia Military Institute
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Overview

 MVNU VMI
Location Mount Vernon, OH Lexington, VA
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Rural
Enrollment 1,845 1,560
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #646 #175
Religious Affiliation Church of the Nazarene - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mvnu.edu vmi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MVNU VMI
Tuition (In State) $35,274 $10,076
Tuition (Out of State) $35,274 $40,778
Room & Board $9,996 $10,990
Avg Net Price $23,293 $17,229
Avg Grant Aid $25,684 $13,735
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 81%

Admission

 MVNU VMI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,134 1,171
Admitted 956 957
Acceptance Rate 84.3% 81.7%
Enrolled % 28.5% 49%
Avg High School GPA 3.55 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 22/28
SAT Range 963/1228 1040/1260
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 MVNU VMI
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (44%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (4%)
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • History (14%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

 MVNU VMI
Graduation Rate 57% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,100 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,536 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $274 $258

Diversity

 MVNU VMI
% Men 5% 61%
% Women 7% 9%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 85% 80%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 2% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

 MVNU VMI
% In-State 85% 63%
% Out-of-State 13% 35%

Campus

 MVNU VMI
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Mount Vernon Nazarene University is larger than than VMI based on total student enrollment (1,845 students vs. 1,560 students)

MVNU vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MVNU or VMI?

  • Mount Vernon Nazarene University is 250.1% more expensive to attend than VMI for in-state tuition ($35,274.00 vs. $10,076.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.6% higher at VMI than Mount Vernon Nazarene University ($40,778.00 vs. $35,274.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than MVNU ($17,229 vs. $23,293)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mount Vernon Nazarene University are 9.9% lower than costs at Virginia Military Institute ($9,996 vs. $10,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Vernon Nazarene University than Virginia Military Institute (99% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Vernon Nazarene University students is 87% larger than aid received Virginia Military Institute ($25,684 vs. $13,735)

MVNU vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MVNU or VMI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VMI or MVNU .

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Military Institute (1139) is 92 points higher than at MVNU (1047)
  • Incoming VMI students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at MVNU (23)
  • Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at MVNU (3.55)
  • MVNU has a higher acceptance rate (84.3%) than VMI (81.7%)

MVNU vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MVNU or VMI? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between VMI and MVNU.

  • The graduation rate at VMI is higher than Mount Vernon Nazarene University (69% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $16,000 more per year than MVNU graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $46,100)
  • Virginia Military Institute students graduate with a $1,536 lower median federal student loan debt than MVNU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,536)
  • VMI graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than MVNU graduates. ($258 vs. $274)
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MVNU 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/