UVA vs. VMI

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

 UVA VMI
Location Charlottesville, VA Lexington, VA
Setting Small City Distant Rural
Enrollment 26,082 1,512
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #59 #150
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website virginia.edu vmi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UVA VMI
Tuition (In State) $16,980 $9,782
Tuition (Out of State) $51,870 $39,590
Room & Board $12,890 $10,674
Avg Net Price $19,469 $18,129
Avg Grant Aid $26,818 $19,111
% Receiving Grant Aid 34% 69%

Admission

 UVA VMI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,926 1,192
Admitted 9,503 847
Acceptance Rate 18.7% 71.1%
Enrolled % 42.3% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.85 3.65
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/34 22/29
SAT Range 1400/1540 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

 UVA VMI
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • History (14%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

 UVA VMI
Graduation Rate 94% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $77,200 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $258

Diversity

 UVA VMI
% Men 45% 87%
% Women 55% 13%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 60% 80%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 5% 2%
% Unknown Race 6% 0%

Students

 UVA VMI
% In-State 62% 63%
% Out-of-State 33% 35%

Campus

 UVA VMI
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is larger than than VMI based on total student enrollment (26,082 students vs. 1,512 students)

UVA vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UVA or VMI?

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is 73.6% more expensive to attend than VMI for in-state tuition ($16,980.00 vs. $9,782.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31% higher at UVA than Virginia Military Institute ($51,870.00 vs. $39,590.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than UVA ($18,129 vs. $19,469)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 20.8% lower than costs at University of Virginia Main Campus ($10,674 vs. $12,890)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Military Institute than University of Virginia Main Campus (69% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Virginia Main Campus students is 40.3% larger than aid received Virginia Military Institute ($26,818 vs. $19,111)

UVA vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Virginia Main Campus (1364) is 225 points higher than at VMI (1139)
  • Incoming UVA students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at VMI (25)
  • Accepted freshman UVA students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at VMI (3.65)
  • VMI has a higher acceptance rate (71.1%) than UVA (18.7%)

UVA vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UVA 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 UVA.

  • The graduation rate at UVA is higher than Virginia Military Institute (94% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from University of Virginia Main Campus earn on average $15,100 more per year than VMI graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $62,100)
  • University of Virginia Main Campus students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than VMI graduates. ($19,500 vs. $25,000)
  • UVA graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than VMI graduates. ($201 vs. $258)
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VMI students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 84%)

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