UCI vs. Virginia Tech

Should I go to University of California Irvine or Virginia Tech? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCI or Virginia Tech 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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University of California Irvine vs. Virginia Tech comparison
University of California Irvine Virginia Tech College 3 College 4
University of California Irvine Virginia Tech
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Overview

UCI Virginia Tech
Location Irvine, CA Blacksburg, VA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 35,937 38,170
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #91 #142
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uci.edu vt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCI Virginia Tech
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $12,104
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $31,754
Room & Board $17,699 $12,680
Avg Net Price $14,033 $19,301
Avg Grant Aid $17,411 $7,649
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 57%

Admission

UCI Virginia Tech
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 119,191 45,321
Admitted 25,212 25,825
Acceptance Rate 21.2% 57%
Enrolled % 22.5% 27.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.97
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 26/33 27/32
SAT Range 1230/1430 1240/1430
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, 2024 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

UCI Virginia Tech
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Biology (16%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

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 45% 57%
% Women 55% 43%
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 81% 64%
% Out-of-State 7% 32%

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 (38,170 students vs. 35,937 students)

UCI vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCI or Virginia Tech?

  • Virginia Tech is 4.7% more expensive to attend than UCI for in-state tuition ($12,104.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31.1% higher at UCI than Virginia Tech ($41,636.00 vs. $31,754.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Irvine than Virginia Tech ($14,033 vs. $19,301)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Tech are 39.6% lower than costs at University of California Irvine ($12,680 vs. $17,699)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Irvine than Virginia Tech (80% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Irvine students is 127.6% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($17,411 vs. $7,649)

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 (21.2%)

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/