Randolph vs. VMI

Deciding between Randolph 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.

Virginia Military Institute

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Randolph Lynchburg, VA
  • VMI Lexington, VA
  • Setting
  • Randolph Small City
  • VMI Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • Randolph 816
  • VMI 1,527
  • Type
  • Randolph Private 4 Year
  • VMI Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Randolph
  • VMI #123
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Randolph United Methodist
  • VMI -
  • Status
  • Randolph Non-profit
  • VMI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Randolph
  • VMI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Randolph $30,310
  • VMI $21,046
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Randolph $30,310
  • VMI $52,638
  • Room & Board
  • Randolph $12,350
  • VMI $11,310
  • Average Net Price
  • Randolph $21,668
  • VMI $18,825
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Randolph $23,372
  • VMI $23,821
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Randolph 100%
  • VMI 81%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Randolph 2,416
  • VMI 2,066
  • Admitted
  • Randolph 2,264
  • VMI 1,472
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Randolph 93.7%
  • VMI 71.2%
  • Enrolled
  • Randolph 11.7%
  • VMI 31.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Randolph 1160
  • VMI 1160
  • Typical ACT score
  • Randolph 22
  • VMI 27
  • Average High School GPA
  • Randolph 3.35
  • VMI 3.65
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Randolph B+
  • VMI A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Randolph Moderate
  • VMI Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • Randolph
  • VMI Low
  • ACT Range
  • Randolph 19/26
  • VMI 24/31
  • SAT Range
  • Randolph 1100/1210
  • VMI 1050/1270
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Randolph Test optional
  • VMI Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Randolph
  • VMI Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Randolph 8:1
  • VMI 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Randolph
    • Social Sciences (24%)
    • History (10%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • English and Literature (8%)
    • Mathematics (8%)
  • VMI
    • Social Sciences (30%)
    • Engineering (23%)
    • History (14%)
    • Psychology (12%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Randolph 63%
  • VMI 69%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Randolph $43,200
  • VMI $62,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Randolph 63%
  • VMI 84%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Randolph $27,000
  • VMI $25,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Randolph $279
  • VMI $258

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Randolph 41%
  • VMI 86%
  • % Women
  • Randolph 59%
  • VMI 14%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Randolph Medium
  • VMI Low
  • HBCU
  • Randolph No
  • VMI No
  • % White
  • Randolph 68%
  • VMI 80%
  • % Asian
  • Randolph 2%
  • VMI 4%
  • % Black
  • Randolph 12%
  • VMI 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Randolph 6%
  • VMI 5%
  • % Native American
  • Randolph 0%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Randolph 0%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Randolph 4%
  • VMI 2%
  • % International
  • Randolph 8%
  • VMI 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Randolph 0%
  • VMI 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Randolph 77%
  • VMI 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Randolph 21%
  • VMI 35%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Randolph College in Lynchburg, VA 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 Randolph based on total student enrollment (1,527 students vs. 816 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Randolph College is located in Lynchburg, VA (Small City setting); Virginia Military Institute is in Lexington, VA (Distant Rural setting).
  • Randolph College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia Military Institute is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Randolph College 8:1; Virginia Military Institute 9:1.

Randolph vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Randolph 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 Randolph ($18,825 vs. $21,668).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 8.4% lower than at Randolph College ($11,310 vs. $12,350).
  • Randolph College is 44% more expensive for in-state tuition than VMI (about $9,264 more per year; $30,310.00 vs. $21,046.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 73.7% higher at VMI than at Randolph College (about $22,328 more per year; $52,638.00 vs. $30,310.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Randolph College than at Virginia Military Institute (100% vs. 81%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 1.9% larger than aid received by Randolph College students ($23,821 vs. $23,372).

Randolph vs. VMI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Randolph 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 Randolph.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Randolph College (1160) is the same as at VMI (1160).
  • Incoming VMI students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (27 vs. 22 at Randolph).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Randolph College 1100/1210; Virginia Military Institute 1050/1270.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Randolph College 19/26; Virginia Military Institute 24/31.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Randolph - Test optional; VMI - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: VMI Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Randolph (3.35).
  • Randolph has a higher acceptance rate (93.7%) than VMI (71.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 11.7% at Randolph vs. 31.7% at VMI.

Randolph vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Randolph 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 Randolph College's (63%).
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn a median of about $18,900 more per year than Randolph graduates about ten years after starting college ($62,100 vs. $43,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Virginia Military Institute graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than Randolph graduates ($25,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, VMI graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Randolph graduates ($258 vs. $279).
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Randolph students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 63%)

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.