Virginia Tech vs. VCU

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

Virginia Tech VCU
Location Blacksburg, VA Richmond, VA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 38,170 28,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #142 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vt.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Virginia Tech VCU
Tuition (In State) $12,104 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $31,754 $33,726
Room & Board $12,680 $12,279
Avg Net Price $19,301 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $7,649 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 83%

Admission

Virginia Tech VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 45,321 18,242
Admitted 25,825 16,600
Acceptance Rate 57% 91%
Enrolled % 27.7% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32 22/30
SAT Range 1240/1430 1030/1290
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 Jan 15, 2025 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

Virginia Tech VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

Virginia Tech VCU
Graduation Rate 82% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,000 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,966 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $247 $240

Diversity

Virginia Tech VCU
% Men 57% 36%
% Women 43% 64%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 68% 50%
% Black 4% 18%
% Hispanic 5% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Virginia Tech VCU
% In-State 64% 92%
% Out-of-State 32% 6%

Campus

Virginia Tech VCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Tech is larger than than VCU based on total student enrollment (38,170 students vs. 28,082 students)

Virginia Tech vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Virginia Tech or VCU?

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 2.9% more expensive to attend than Virginia Tech for in-state tuition ($12,458.00 vs. $12,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.2% higher at VCU than Virginia Tech ($33,726.00 vs. $31,754.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Tech than VCU ($19,301 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 3.3% lower than costs at Virginia Tech ($12,279 vs. $12,680)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than Virginia Tech (83% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 64.5% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($12,583 vs. $7,649)

Virginia Tech vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Tech (1210) is 113 points higher than at VCU (1097)
  • Accepted freshman Virginia Tech students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at VCU (3.75)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than Virginia Tech (57%)

Virginia Tech vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Virginia Tech or VCU? 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 VCU and Virginia Tech.

  • The graduation rate at Virginia Tech is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (82% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Tech earn on average $17,500 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($65,000 vs. $47,500)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $716 lower median federal student loan debt than Virginia Tech graduates. ($23,250 vs. $23,966)
  • VCU graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Virginia Tech graduates. ($240 vs. $247)
  • More Virginia Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 56%)

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