Ship vs. VMI

Comparable Facts

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

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is larger than VMI based on total student enrollment (5,161 students vs. 1,527 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is located in Shippensburg, PA (Distant Town setting); Virginia Military Institute is in Lexington, VA (Distant Rural setting).
• Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia Military Institute is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania 18:1; Virginia Military Institute 9:1.

Ship vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Ship 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 Ship ($18,825 vs. $23,772).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 15.2% lower than at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania ($11,310 vs. $13,340).
• Virginia Military Institute is 53.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Ship (about $7,326 more per year; $21,046.00 vs. $13,720.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 229.5% higher at VMI than at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (about $36,664 more per year; $52,638.00 vs. $15,974.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania than at Virginia Military Institute (90% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 252.6% larger than aid received by Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania students ($23,821 vs. $6,756).

Ship vs. VMI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Ship 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 Ship.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Virginia Military Institute (1160) is 60 points higher than at Ship (1100).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania 990/1210; Virginia Military Institute 1050/1270.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsVirginia Military Institute 24/31.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Ship - Test optional; VMI - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: VMI Feb 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Ship (3.23).
• Ship has a higher acceptance rate (86.5%) than VMI (71.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at Ship vs. 31.7% at VMI.

Ship vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Ship 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 Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania's (60%).
• Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn a median of about $14,900 more per year than Ship graduates about ten years after starting college ($62,100 vs. $47,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Virginia Military Institute and Ship graduates have the same median loan debt ($25,000 vs. $25,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Virginia Military Institute and Ship graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($258 vs. $258).
• More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ship students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 72%)

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.