Widener University-Main Campus vs. VMI

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

 Widener University-Main Campus VMI
Location Chester, PA Lexington, VA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Rural
Enrollment 5,610 1,560
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #415 #175
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website widener.edu vmi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Widener University-Main Campus VMI
Tuition (In State) $52,598 $10,076
Tuition (Out of State) $52,598 $40,778
Room & Board $15,530 $10,990
Avg Net Price $30,720 $17,229
Avg Grant Aid $37,458 $13,735
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 81%

Admission

 Widener University-Main Campus VMI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,167 1,171
Admitted 6,022 957
Acceptance Rate 84% 81.7%
Enrolled % 14.8% 49%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28
SAT Range 1050/1260 1040/1260
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

 Widener University-Main Campus VMI
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (28%)
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • History (14%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

 Widener University-Main Campus VMI
Graduation Rate 54% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

 Widener University-Main Campus VMI
% Men 15% 61%
% Women 35% 9%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 80%
% Black 13% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 Widener University-Main Campus VMI
% In-State 67% 63%
% Out-of-State 32% 35%

Campus

 Widener University-Main Campus VMI
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Widener University Main Campus is larger than than VMI based on total student enrollment (5,610 students vs. 1,560 students)

Widener University-Main Campus vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Widener University-Main Campus or VMI?

  • Widener University Main Campus is 422% more expensive to attend than VMI for in-state tuition ($52,598.00 vs. $10,076.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29% higher at Widener University-Main Campus than Virginia Military Institute ($52,598.00 vs. $40,778.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than Widener University-Main Campus ($17,229 vs. $30,720)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 41.3% lower than costs at Widener University Main Campus ($10,990 vs. $15,530)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Widener University Main Campus than Virginia Military Institute (100% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Widener University Main Campus students is 172.7% larger than aid received Virginia Military Institute ($37,458 vs. $13,735)

Widener University-Main Campus vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Military Institute (1139) is 107 points higher than at Widener University-Main Campus (1032)
  • Incoming VMI students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Widener University-Main Campus (23)
  • Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Widener University-Main Campus (3.46)
  • Widener University-Main Campus has a higher acceptance rate (84%) than VMI (81.7%)

Widener University-Main Campus vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Widener University-Main Campus 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 Widener University-Main Campus.

  • The graduation rate at VMI is higher than Widener University Main Campus (69% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $2,600 more per year than Widener University-Main Campus graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $59,500)
  • Virginia Military Institute students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Widener University-Main Campus graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • VMI graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Widener University-Main Campus graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Widener University-Main Campus students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 68%)

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