Wilkes vs. VMI

Deciding between Wilkes University and Virginia Military Institute? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Wilkes University
Virginia Military Institute

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Wilkes Wilkes-Barre, PA
  • VMI Lexington, VA
  • Setting
  • Wilkes Small City
  • VMI Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • Wilkes 5,381
  • VMI 1,527
  • Type
  • Wilkes Private 4 Year
  • VMI Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Wilkes #414
  • VMI #123
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Wilkes -
  • VMI -
  • Status
  • Wilkes Non-profit
  • VMI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Wilkes
  • VMI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Wilkes $43,496
  • VMI $21,046
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Wilkes $43,496
  • VMI $52,638
  • Room & Board
  • Wilkes $16,166
  • VMI $11,310
  • Average Net Price
  • Wilkes $28,511
  • VMI $18,825
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Wilkes $28,324
  • VMI $23,821
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Wilkes 100%
  • VMI 81%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Wilkes 7,660
  • VMI 2,066
  • Admitted
  • Wilkes 6,943
  • VMI 1,472
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Wilkes 90.6%
  • VMI 71.2%
  • Enrolled
  • Wilkes 9.3%
  • VMI 31.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Wilkes 1140
  • VMI 1160
  • Typical ACT score
  • Wilkes 25
  • VMI 27
  • Average High School GPA
  • Wilkes 3.56
  • VMI 3.65
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Wilkes A-
  • VMI A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Wilkes Challenging
  • VMI Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • Wilkes
  • VMI Low
  • ACT Range
  • Wilkes 22/29
  • VMI 24/31
  • SAT Range
  • Wilkes 1020/1250
  • VMI 1050/1270
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Wilkes Test optional
  • VMI Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Wilkes
  • VMI Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Wilkes 13:1
  • VMI 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Wilkes
    • Business (18%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Communication (8%)
  • VMI
    • Social Sciences (30%)
    • Engineering (23%)
    • History (14%)
    • Psychology (12%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Wilkes 58%
  • VMI 69%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Wilkes $58,200
  • VMI $62,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Wilkes 75%
  • VMI 84%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Wilkes $26,000
  • VMI $25,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Wilkes $268
  • VMI $258

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Wilkes 32%
  • VMI 86%
  • % Women
  • Wilkes 68%
  • VMI 14%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Wilkes Low
  • VMI Low
  • HBCU
  • Wilkes No
  • VMI No
  • % White
  • Wilkes 73%
  • VMI 80%
  • % Asian
  • Wilkes 3%
  • VMI 4%
  • % Black
  • Wilkes 4%
  • VMI 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Wilkes 6%
  • VMI 5%
  • % Native American
  • Wilkes 0%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Wilkes 0%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Wilkes 4%
  • VMI 2%
  • % International
  • Wilkes 9%
  • VMI 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Wilkes 2%
  • VMI 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Wilkes 65%
  • VMI 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Wilkes 20%
  • VMI 35%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Wilkes Yes
  • VMI Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Wilkes No
  • VMI Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Wilkes Yes
  • VMI Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Wilkes Yes
  • VMI No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Wilkes No
  • VMI No

Comparable Facts

Compare Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, PA with Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Wilkes University is larger than VMI based on total student enrollment (5,381 students vs. 1,527 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Wilkes University is located in Wilkes-Barre, PA (Small City setting); Virginia Military Institute is in Lexington, VA (Distant Rural setting).
  • Wilkes University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia Military Institute is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Wilkes University 13:1; Virginia Military Institute 9:1.

Wilkes vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wilkes or VMI? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than Wilkes ($18,825 vs. $28,511).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 30% lower than at Wilkes University ($11,310 vs. $16,166).
  • Wilkes University is 106.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than VMI (about $22,450 more per year; $43,496.00 vs. $21,046.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 21% higher at VMI than at Wilkes University (about $9,142 more per year; $52,638.00 vs. $43,496.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Wilkes University than at Virginia Military Institute (100% vs. 81%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wilkes University students is 18.9% larger than aid received by Virginia Military Institute students ($28,324 vs. $23,821).

Wilkes vs. VMI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Wilkes or VMI? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between VMI and Wilkes.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Virginia Military Institute (1160) is 20 points higher than at Wilkes (1140).
  • Incoming VMI students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (27 vs. 25 at Wilkes).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Wilkes University 1020/1250; Virginia Military Institute 1050/1270.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Wilkes University 22/29; Virginia Military Institute 24/31.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Wilkes - Test optional; VMI - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: VMI Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Wilkes (3.56).
  • Wilkes has a higher acceptance rate (90.6%) than VMI (71.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.3% at Wilkes vs. 31.7% at VMI.

Wilkes vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Wilkes and VMI? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Virginia Military Institute's six-year graduation rate (69%) is higher than Wilkes University's (58%).
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn a median of about $3,900 more per year than Wilkes graduates about ten years after starting college ($62,100 vs. $58,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Virginia Military Institute graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than Wilkes graduates ($25,000 vs. $26,000).
  • Among borrowers, VMI graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Wilkes graduates ($258 vs. $268).
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wilkes students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 75%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.