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Virginia Tech UD Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass UB NC State Michigan State Clemson Syracuse Drexel| Virginia Military Institute | Penn State Main Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
VMI | Penn State | ||
| Location | Lexington, VA | University Park, PA | ||
| Setting | Distant Rural | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,512 | 50,028 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #150 | #167 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | vmi.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
VMI | Penn State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,782 | $18,368 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $39,590 | $35,946 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,674 | $12,744 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $18,129 | $26,747 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $19,111 | $10,066 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 69% | 44% |
Admission |
VMI | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 1,192 | 85,784 | ||
| Admitted | 847 | 47,360 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 71.1% | 55.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 42.3% | 19.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.65 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 22/29 | 26/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1105/1300 | 1210/1390 | ||
| 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 |
VMI | Penn State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
VMI | Penn State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 69% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $62,100 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 84% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $277 |
Diversity |
VMI | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 87% | 53% | ||
| % Women | 13% | 47% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 80% | 69% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 2% |
Students |
VMI | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 63% | 51% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 35% | 40% | ||
Campus |
VMI | Penn State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Main Campus is larger than than VMI based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 1,512 students)
VMI vs. Penn State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, VMI or Penn State?
- Penn State Main Campus is 87.8% more expensive to attend than VMI for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $9,782.00)
- Out of state tuition is 10.1% higher at VMI than Penn State Main Campus ($39,590.00 vs. $35,946.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than Penn State ($18,129 vs. $26,747)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 19.4% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($10,674 vs. $12,744)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Military Institute than Penn State Main Campus (69% vs. 44%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 89.9% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($19,111 vs. $10,066)
VMI vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, VMI or Penn State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State or VMI .
- The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 63 points higher than at VMI (1139)
- Incoming Penn State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at VMI (25)
- VMI has a higher acceptance rate (71.1%) than Penn State (55.2%)
VMI vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, VMI or Penn State? 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 Penn State and VMI.
- The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Virginia Military Institute (87% vs. 69%)
- Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $6,800 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $55,300)
- Virginia Military Institute students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
- VMI graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
- More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/