Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. VMI

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Greater Allegheny in McKeesport, PA 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 Penn State Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (1,527 students vs. 352 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Greater Allegheny is located in McKeesport, PA (Large Suburban setting); Virginia Military Institute is in Lexington, VA (Distant Rural setting).
• Penn State Greater Allegheny is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia Military Institute is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Greater Allegheny 9:1; Virginia Military Institute 9:1.

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Greater Allegheny 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 Penn State Greater Allegheny than VMI ($15,574 vs. $18,825).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 21.9% lower than at Penn State Greater Allegheny ($11,310 vs. $14,474).
• Virginia Military Institute is 46.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Greater Allegheny (about $6,638 more per year; $21,046.00 vs. $14,408.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 118.1% higher at VMI than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (about $28,504 more per year; $52,638.00 vs. $24,134.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State Greater Allegheny than at Virginia Military Institute (86% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 114.2% larger than aid received by Penn State Greater Allegheny students ($23,821 vs. $11,121).

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. VMI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Greater Allegheny 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 Penn State Greater Allegheny.

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Penn State Greater Allegheny (1180) is 20 points higher than at VMI (1160).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Penn State Greater Allegheny 1080/1280; Virginia Military Institute 1050/1270.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresVirginia Military Institute 24/31.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Greater Allegheny - Test optional; VMI - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: VMI Feb 1, 2027.
• Penn State Greater Allegheny has a higher acceptance rate (96.5%) than VMI (71.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.5% at Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. 31.7% at VMI.

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Greater Allegheny 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 Penn State Greater Allegheny's (47%).
• Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn a median of about $6,800 more per year than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates about ten years after starting college ($62,100 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Virginia Military Institute graduates have a $1,818 lower median loan debt than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates ($25,000 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, VMI graduates have an estimated $19 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates ($258 vs. $277).
• More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Greater Allegheny students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 69%)

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.