Susquahanna vs. VMI

Deciding between Susquehanna 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.

Susquehanna University
Virginia Military Institute

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Susquahanna Selinsgrove, PA
  • VMI Lexington, VA
  • Setting
  • Susquahanna Distant Town
  • VMI Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • Susquahanna 2,255
  • VMI 1,527
  • Type
  • Susquahanna Private 4 Year
  • VMI Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Susquahanna #381
  • VMI #123
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Susquahanna Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • VMI -
  • Status
  • Susquahanna Non-profit
  • VMI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Susquahanna
  • VMI
  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Susquahanna $59,850
  • VMI $21,046
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Susquahanna $59,850
  • VMI $52,638
  • Room & Board
  • Susquahanna $16,100
  • VMI $11,310
  • Average Net Price
  • Susquahanna $26,444
  • VMI $18,825
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Susquahanna $48,966
  • VMI $23,821
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Susquahanna 97%
  • VMI 81%
  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Susquahanna 5,513
  • VMI 2,066
  • Admitted
  • Susquahanna 4,489
  • VMI 1,472
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Susquahanna 81.4%
  • VMI 71.2%
  • Enrolled
  • Susquahanna 13.6%
  • VMI 31.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Susquahanna 1200
  • VMI 1160
  • Typical ACT score
  • Susquahanna 25
  • VMI 27
  • Average High School GPA
  • Susquahanna 3.67
  • VMI 3.65
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Susquahanna A-
  • VMI A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Susquahanna Challenging
  • VMI Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • Susquahanna
  • VMI Low
  • ACT Range
  • Susquahanna 21/29
  • VMI 24/31
  • SAT Range
  • Susquahanna 1100/1300
  • VMI 1050/1270
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Susquahanna Test optional
  • VMI Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Susquahanna
  • VMI Feb 1, 2027
  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Susquahanna 13:1
  • VMI 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Susquahanna
    • Business (24%)
    • Communication (14%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • English and Literature (8%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • VMI
    • Social Sciences (30%)
    • Engineering (23%)
    • History (14%)
    • Psychology (12%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Susquahanna 77%
  • VMI 69%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Susquahanna $57,000
  • VMI $62,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Susquahanna 83%
  • VMI 84%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Susquahanna $27,000
  • VMI $25,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Susquahanna $279
  • VMI $258
  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Susquahanna 43%
  • VMI 86%
  • % Women
  • Susquahanna 57%
  • VMI 14%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Susquahanna Low
  • VMI Low
  • HBCU
  • Susquahanna No
  • VMI No
  • % White
  • Susquahanna 81%
  • VMI 80%
  • % Asian
  • Susquahanna 2%
  • VMI 4%
  • % Black
  • Susquahanna 6%
  • VMI 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Susquahanna 6%
  • VMI 5%
  • % Native American
  • Susquahanna 0%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Susquahanna 0%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Susquahanna 3%
  • VMI 2%
  • % International
  • Susquahanna 2%
  • VMI 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Susquahanna 0%
  • VMI 0%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Susquahanna 62%
  • VMI 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Susquahanna 38%
  • VMI 35%
  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Susquehanna University is larger than VMI based on total student enrollment (2,255 students vs. 1,527 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Susquehanna University is located in Selinsgrove, PA (Distant Town setting); Virginia Military Institute is in Lexington, VA (Distant Rural setting).
  • Susquehanna University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia Military Institute is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Susquehanna University 13:1; Virginia Military Institute 9:1.

Susquahanna vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Susquahanna 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 Susquahanna ($18,825 vs. $26,444).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 29.8% lower than at Susquehanna University ($11,310 vs. $16,100).
  • Susquehanna University is 184.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than VMI (about $38,804 more per year; $59,850.00 vs. $21,046.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 13.7% higher at Susquahanna than at Virginia Military Institute (about $7,212 more per year; $59,850.00 vs. $52,638.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Susquehanna University than at Virginia Military Institute (97% vs. 81%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Susquehanna University students is 105.6% larger than aid received by Virginia Military Institute students ($48,966 vs. $23,821).

Susquahanna vs. VMI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Susquahanna 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 Susquahanna.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Susquehanna University (1200) is 40 points higher than at VMI (1160).
  • Incoming VMI students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (27 vs. 25 at Susquahanna).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Susquehanna University 1100/1300; Virginia Military Institute 1050/1270.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Susquehanna University 21/29; Virginia Military Institute 24/31.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Susquahanna - Test optional; VMI - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: VMI Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Susquahanna students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at VMI (3.65).
  • Susquahanna has a higher acceptance rate (81.4%) than VMI (71.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 13.6% at Susquahanna vs. 31.7% at VMI.

Susquahanna vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Susquahanna 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).

  • Susquehanna University's six-year graduation rate (77%) is higher than Virginia Military Institute's (69%).
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn a median of about $5,100 more per year than Susquahanna graduates about ten years after starting college ($62,100 vs. $57,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Virginia Military Institute graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than Susquahanna graduates ($25,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, VMI graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Susquahanna graduates ($258 vs. $279).
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Susquahanna students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 83%)

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.