Wright State vs. VMI

Comparable Facts

Compare Wright State University Main Campus in Dayton, OH with Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Wright State University Main Campus is larger than VMI based on total student enrollment (10,603 students vs. 1,527 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Wright State University Main Campus is located in Dayton, OH (Large Suburban setting); Virginia Military Institute is in Lexington, VA (Distant Rural setting).
• Wright State University Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia Military Institute is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Wright State University Main Campus 16:1; Virginia Military Institute 9:1.

Wright State vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wright State 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 Wright State University Main Campus than VMI ($15,254 vs. $18,825).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wright State University Main Campus are 0.5% lower than at Virginia Military Institute ($11,250 vs. $11,310).
• Virginia Military Institute is 82.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Wright State (about $9,524 more per year; $21,046.00 vs. $11,522.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 148% higher at VMI than at Wright State University Main Campus (about $31,416 more per year; $52,638.00 vs. $21,222.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Wright State University Main Campus than at Virginia Military Institute (92% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 166.4% larger than aid received by Wright State University Main Campus students ($23,821 vs. $8,942).

Wright State vs. VMI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Wright State 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 Wright State.

• Wright State University Main Campus reports an open admissions policy.
• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Virginia Military Institute (1160) is 90 points higher than at Wright State (1070).
• Incoming VMI students have a 6 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (27 vs. 21 at Wright State).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Wright State University Main Campus 913/1230; Virginia Military Institute 1050/1270.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Wright State University Main Campus 17/25; Virginia Military Institute 24/31.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Wright State - Open admission; VMI - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Wright State Aug 23, 2027; VMI Feb 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Wright State (3.41).
• Wright State has a higher acceptance rate (96.3%) than VMI (71.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.4% at Wright State vs. 31.7% at VMI.

Wright State vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Wright State 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 Wright State University Main Campus's (40%).
• Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn a median of about $18,700 more per year than Wright State graduates about ten years after starting college ($62,100 vs. $43,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Virginia Military Institute and Wright State graduates have the same median loan debt ($25,000 vs. $25,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Virginia Military Institute and Wright State graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($258 vs. $258).
• More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wright State students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 51%)

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.