SVU vs. VMI

Should I go to Southern Virginia University or Virginia Military Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SVU 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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Southern Virginia University vs. Virginia Military Institute comparison
Southern Virginia University Virginia Military Institute College 3 College 4
Southern Virginia University Virginia Military Institute
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Overview

SVU VMI
Location Buena Vista, VA Lexington, VA
Setting Distant Town Distant Rural
Enrollment 1,053 1,512
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #984 #150
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website svu.edu vmi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SVU VMI
Tuition (In State) $18,858 $9,782
Tuition (Out of State) $18,858 $39,590
Room & Board $9,150 $10,674
Avg Net Price $23,274 $18,129
Avg Grant Aid $8,188 $19,111
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 69%

Admission

SVU VMI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,090 1,192
Admitted 1,084 847
Acceptance Rate 99.4% 71.1%
Enrolled % 35.1% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 3.65
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 22/29
SAT Range 900/1250 1105/1300
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, 2025

Academics

SVU VMI
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Work and Family Studies (12%)
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • History (14%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

SVU VMI
Graduation Rate 25% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,600 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,654 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $244 $258

Diversity

SVU VMI
% Men 53% 87%
% Women 47% 13%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 80%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 1% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

SVU VMI
% In-State 12% 63%
% Out-of-State 73% 35%

Campus

SVU 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

  • Virginia Military Institute is larger than than SVU based on total student enrollment (1,512 students vs. 1,053 students)

SVU vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SVU or VMI?

  • Southern Virginia University is 92.8% more expensive to attend than VMI for in-state tuition ($18,858.00 vs. $9,782.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 109.9% higher at VMI than Southern Virginia University ($39,590.00 vs. $18,858.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than SVU ($18,129 vs. $23,274)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Virginia University are 16.7% lower than costs at Virginia Military Institute ($9,150 vs. $10,674)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Virginia University than Virginia Military Institute (99% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 133.4% larger than aid received Southern Virginia University ($19,111 vs. $8,188)

SVU vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Military Institute (1139) is 98 points higher than at SVU (1041)
  • Incoming VMI students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at SVU (23)
  • Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at SVU (3.19)
  • SVU has a higher acceptance rate (99.4%) than VMI (71.1%)

SVU vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SVU 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 SVU.

  • The graduation rate at VMI is higher than Southern Virginia University (69% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $21,500 more per year than SVU graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $40,600)
  • Southern Virginia University students graduate with a $1,346 lower median federal student loan debt than VMI graduates. ($23,654 vs. $25,000)
  • SVU graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than VMI graduates. ($244 vs. $258)
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SVU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 53%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/