VMI vs. Milligan

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

 VMI Milligan
Location Lexington, VA Milligan, TN
Setting Distant Rural Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 1,560 1,200
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #175
Religious Affiliation - Christian Churches and Churches of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vmi.edu milligan.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 VMI Milligan
Tuition (In State) $10,076 $37,700
Tuition (Out of State) $40,778 $37,700
Room & Board $10,990 $8,000
Avg Net Price $17,229 $21,463
Avg Grant Aid $13,735 $28,521
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 100%

Admission

 VMI Milligan
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,171 1,164
Admitted 957 818
Acceptance Rate 81.7% 70.3%
Enrolled % 49% 29.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/28 21/27
SAT Range 1040/1260 1120/1290
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, 2026 Aug 28, 2026

Academics

 VMI Milligan
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • History (14%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

 VMI Milligan
Graduation Rate 69% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $62,100 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $263

Diversity

 VMI Milligan
% Men 61% 12%
% Women 9% 18%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 82%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

 VMI Milligan
% In-State 63% 50%
% Out-of-State 35% 47%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Military Institute is larger than than Milligan based on total student enrollment (1,560 students vs. 1,200 students)

VMI vs. Milligan Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VMI or Milligan?

  • Milligan University is 274.2% more expensive to attend than VMI for in-state tuition ($37,700.00 vs. $10,076.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.2% higher at VMI than Milligan University ($40,778.00 vs. $37,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than Milligan ($17,229 vs. $21,463)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Milligan University are 37.4% lower than costs at Virginia Military Institute ($8,000 vs. $10,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Milligan University than Virginia Military Institute (100% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Milligan University students is 107.7% larger than aid received Virginia Military Institute ($28,521 vs. $13,735)

VMI vs. Milligan Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Military Institute (1139) is 11 points higher than at Milligan (1128)
  • Incoming VMI students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at Milligan (25)
  • Accepted freshman Milligan students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at VMI (3.65)
  • VMI has a higher acceptance rate (81.7%) than Milligan (70.3%)

VMI vs. Milligan Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, VMI or Milligan? 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 Milligan and VMI.

  • Virginia Military Institute students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than Milligan graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,500)
  • VMI graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Milligan graduates. ($258 vs. $263)
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Milligan students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 66%)

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