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Penn State UCLA JMU UCSD NC State Purdue UCSB Clemson UofSC UVA UC Davis UC Riverside| University of California Irvine | Virginia Tech | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCI | Virginia Tech | ||
| Location | Irvine, CA | Blacksburg, VA | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 36,582 | 38,294 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #93 | #145 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uci.edu | vt.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCI | Virginia Tech | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $12,698 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $33,310 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,423 | $14,888 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $14,647 | $22,205 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,533 | $8,542 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 65% | 55% |
Admission |
UCI | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 121,101 | 47,208 | ||
| Admitted | 30,962 | 26,923 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 25.6% | 57% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.9% | 26.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.75 | 3.97 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 26/33 | 27/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1230/1430 | 1240/1420 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
UCI | Virginia Tech | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCI | Virginia Tech | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 82% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $61,800 | $65,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 76% | 81% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,000 | $23,966 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $175 | $247 |
Diversity |
UCI | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 10% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 15% | 68% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 25% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 16% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 3% |
Students |
UCI | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 77% | 61% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 8% | 33% | ||
Campus |
UCI | Virginia Tech | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Virginia Tech is larger than than UCI based on total student enrollment (38,294 students vs. 36,582 students)
UCI vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCI or Virginia Tech?
- Virginia Tech is 7.3% more expensive to attend than UCI for in-state tuition ($12,698.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 27.9% higher at UCI than Virginia Tech ($42,611.00 vs. $33,310.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Irvine than Virginia Tech ($14,647 vs. $22,205)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Tech are 23.7% lower than costs at University of California Irvine ($14,888 vs. $18,423)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Irvine than Virginia Tech (65% vs. 55%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Irvine students is 152.1% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($21,533 vs. $8,542)
UCI vs. Virginia Tech Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCI or Virginia Tech? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Virginia Tech or UCI .
- The average SAT score at Virginia Tech (1210) is 35 points higher than at UCI (1175)
- Accepted freshman Virginia Tech students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at UCI (3.75)
- Virginia Tech has a higher acceptance rate (57%) than UCI (25.6%)
UCI vs. Virginia Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCI or Virginia Tech? 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 Virginia Tech and UCI.
- The graduation rate at UCI is higher than Virginia Tech (85% vs. 82%)
- Graduates from Virginia Tech earn on average $3,200 more per year than UCI graduates after ten years. ($65,000 vs. $61,800)
- University of California Irvine students graduate with a $6,966 lower median federal student loan debt than Virginia Tech graduates. ($17,000 vs. $23,966)
- UCI graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than Virginia Tech graduates. ($175 vs. $247)
- More Virginia Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCI students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/