Salisbury vs. VMI

Deciding between Salisbury 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.

Salisbury University
Virginia Military Institute

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Salisbury Salisbury, MD
  • VMI Lexington, VA
  • Setting
  • Salisbury Small Suburban
  • VMI Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • Salisbury 7,025
  • VMI 1,527
  • Type
  • Salisbury Public 4 Year
  • VMI Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Salisbury #352
  • VMI #123
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Salisbury -
  • VMI -
  • Status
  • Salisbury Non-profit
  • VMI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Salisbury
  • VMI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Salisbury $11,084
  • VMI $21,046
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Salisbury $22,174
  • VMI $52,638
  • Room & Board
  • Salisbury $13,900
  • VMI $11,310
  • Average Net Price
  • Salisbury $18,760
  • VMI $18,825
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Salisbury $9,124
  • VMI $23,821
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Salisbury 88%
  • VMI 81%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Salisbury 8,845
  • VMI 2,066
  • Admitted
  • Salisbury 7,737
  • VMI 1,472
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Salisbury 87.5%
  • VMI 71.2%
  • Enrolled
  • Salisbury 18.4%
  • VMI 31.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Salisbury 1250
  • VMI 1160
  • Typical ACT score
  • Salisbury 24
  • VMI 27
  • Average High School GPA
  • Salisbury 3.73
  • VMI 3.65
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Salisbury A-
  • VMI A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Salisbury Challenging
  • VMI Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • Salisbury
  • VMI Low
  • ACT Range
  • Salisbury 20/29
  • VMI 24/31
  • SAT Range
  • Salisbury 1180/1320
  • VMI 1050/1270
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Salisbury Test optional
  • VMI Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Salisbury Jan 15, 2027
  • VMI Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Salisbury 14:1
  • VMI 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Salisbury
    • Business (17%)
    • Education (12%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
    • Communication (8%)
    • Psychology (7%)
  • VMI
    • Social Sciences (30%)
    • Engineering (23%)
    • History (14%)
    • Psychology (12%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Salisbury 67%
  • VMI 69%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Salisbury $52,000
  • VMI $62,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Salisbury 68%
  • VMI 84%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Salisbury $20,153
  • VMI $25,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Salisbury $208
  • VMI $258

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Salisbury 42%
  • VMI 86%
  • % Women
  • Salisbury 58%
  • VMI 14%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Salisbury Medium
  • VMI Low
  • HBCU
  • Salisbury No
  • VMI No
  • % White
  • Salisbury 71%
  • VMI 80%
  • % Asian
  • Salisbury 3%
  • VMI 4%
  • % Black
  • Salisbury 13%
  • VMI 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Salisbury 4%
  • VMI 5%
  • % Native American
  • Salisbury 1%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Salisbury 0%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Salisbury 4%
  • VMI 2%
  • % International
  • Salisbury 1%
  • VMI 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Salisbury 3%
  • VMI 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Salisbury 82%
  • VMI 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Salisbury 17%
  • VMI 35%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Salisbury University is larger than VMI based on total student enrollment (7,025 students vs. 1,527 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Salisbury University is located in Salisbury, MD (Small Suburban setting); Virginia Military Institute is in Lexington, VA (Distant Rural setting).
  • Salisbury University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia Military Institute is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Salisbury University 14:1; Virginia Military Institute 9:1.

Salisbury vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Salisbury 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 Salisbury University than VMI ($18,760 vs. $18,825).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 18.6% lower than at Salisbury University ($11,310 vs. $13,900).
  • Virginia Military Institute is 89.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Salisbury (about $9,962 more per year; $21,046.00 vs. $11,084.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 137.4% higher at VMI than at Salisbury University (about $30,464 more per year; $52,638.00 vs. $22,174.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Salisbury University than at Virginia Military Institute (88% vs. 81%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 161.1% larger than aid received by Salisbury University students ($23,821 vs. $9,124).

Salisbury vs. VMI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Salisbury 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 Salisbury.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Salisbury University (1250) is 90 points higher than at VMI (1160).
  • Incoming VMI students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (27 vs. 24 at Salisbury).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Salisbury University 1180/1320; Virginia Military Institute 1050/1270.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Salisbury University 20/29; Virginia Military Institute 24/31.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Salisbury - Test optional; VMI - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Salisbury Jan 15, 2027; VMI Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Salisbury students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at VMI (3.65).
  • Salisbury has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than VMI (71.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18.4% at Salisbury vs. 31.7% at VMI.

Salisbury vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Salisbury 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 Salisbury University's (67%).
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn a median of about $10,100 more per year than Salisbury graduates about ten years after starting college ($62,100 vs. $52,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Salisbury University graduates have a $4,847 lower median loan debt than VMI graduates ($20,153 vs. $25,000).
  • Among borrowers, Salisbury graduates have an estimated $50 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than VMI graduates ($208 vs. $258).
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Salisbury students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 68%)

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.