Kentucky vs. VMI

Deciding between University of Kentucky 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.

University of Kentucky
Virginia Military Institute

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Kentucky Lexington, KY
  • VMI Lexington, VA
  • Setting
  • Kentucky Large City
  • VMI Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • Kentucky 34,709
  • VMI 1,527
  • Type
  • Kentucky Public 4 Year
  • VMI Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Kentucky #437
  • VMI #123
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Kentucky -
  • VMI -
  • Status
  • Kentucky Non-profit
  • VMI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Kentucky
  • VMI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Kentucky $13,502
  • VMI $21,046
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Kentucky $34,140
  • VMI $52,638
  • Room & Board
  • Kentucky $16,016
  • VMI $11,310
  • Average Net Price
  • Kentucky $21,958
  • VMI $18,825
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Kentucky $12,898
  • VMI $23,821
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Kentucky 95%
  • VMI 81%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Kentucky 31,517
  • VMI 2,066
  • Admitted
  • Kentucky 29,293
  • VMI 1,472
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Kentucky 92.9%
  • VMI 71.2%
  • Enrolled
  • Kentucky 22.2%
  • VMI 31.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Kentucky 1180
  • VMI 1160
  • Typical ACT score
  • Kentucky 24
  • VMI 27
  • Average High School GPA
  • Kentucky 3.59
  • VMI 3.65
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Kentucky A-
  • VMI A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Kentucky Challenging
  • VMI Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • Kentucky
  • VMI Low
  • ACT Range
  • Kentucky 21/28
  • VMI 24/31
  • SAT Range
  • Kentucky 1070/1290
  • VMI 1050/1270
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Kentucky Test optional
  • VMI Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Kentucky Feb 15, 2027
  • VMI Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Kentucky 18:1
  • VMI 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Kentucky
    • Business (19%)
    • Communication (8%)
    • Engineering (8%)
    • Education (8%)
    • Social Sciences (8%)
  • VMI
    • Social Sciences (30%)
    • Engineering (23%)
    • History (14%)
    • Psychology (12%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Kentucky 59%
  • VMI 69%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Kentucky $51,000
  • VMI $62,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Kentucky 62%
  • VMI 84%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Kentucky $22,750
  • VMI $25,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Kentucky $235
  • VMI $258

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Kentucky 40%
  • VMI 86%
  • % Women
  • Kentucky 60%
  • VMI 14%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Kentucky Low
  • VMI Low
  • HBCU
  • Kentucky No
  • VMI No
  • % White
  • Kentucky 76%
  • VMI 80%
  • % Asian
  • Kentucky 2%
  • VMI 4%
  • % Black
  • Kentucky 8%
  • VMI 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Kentucky 4%
  • VMI 5%
  • % Native American
  • Kentucky 0%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Kentucky 0%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Kentucky 3%
  • VMI 2%
  • % International
  • Kentucky 3%
  • VMI 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Kentucky 3%
  • VMI 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Kentucky 58%
  • VMI 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Kentucky 41%
  • VMI 35%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

University of Kentucky is larger than VMI based on total student enrollment (34,709 students vs. 1,527 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Kentucky vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky 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 Kentucky ($18,825 vs. $21,958).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 29.4% lower than at University of Kentucky ($11,310 vs. $16,016).
  • Virginia Military Institute is 55.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Kentucky (about $7,544 more per year; $21,046.00 vs. $13,502.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 54.2% higher at VMI than at University of Kentucky (about $18,498 more per year; $52,638.00 vs. $34,140.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Kentucky than at Virginia Military Institute (95% vs. 81%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 84.7% larger than aid received by University of Kentucky students ($23,821 vs. $12,898).

Kentucky vs. VMI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Kentucky 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 Kentucky.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of Kentucky (1180) is 20 points higher than at VMI (1160).
  • Incoming VMI students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (27 vs. 24 at Kentucky).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Kentucky 1070/1290; Virginia Military Institute 1050/1270.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Kentucky 21/28; Virginia Military Institute 24/31.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Kentucky - Test optional; VMI - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Kentucky Feb 15, 2027; VMI Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Kentucky (3.59).
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (92.9%) than VMI (71.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 22.2% at Kentucky vs. 31.7% at VMI.

Kentucky vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Kentucky 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 University of Kentucky's (59%).
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn a median of about $11,100 more per year than Kentucky graduates about ten years after starting college ($62,100 vs. $51,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Kentucky graduates have a $2,250 lower median loan debt than VMI graduates ($22,750 vs. $25,000).
  • Among borrowers, Kentucky graduates have an estimated $23 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than VMI graduates ($235 vs. $258).
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kentucky students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 62%)

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.