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Blacksburg, VA · Richmond, VA
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Virginia Commonwealth University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $24,953/yr | $23,433/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $11,689/yr | $17,512/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $21,500 | $21,500 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $11,670/yr | $17,777/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $17,894/yr | $20,925/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $25,835/yr | $24,691/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $34,201/yr | $32,739/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $228/mo | $228/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $16,550/yr | $18,254/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $12,578/yr | $18,254/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $2,678/yr | $1,250/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $4,494/yr | $6,344/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $36,951/yr | $38,954/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $15,948/yr | $16,945/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $37,764/yr | $40,109/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 15% | 31% |
| Students taking federal loans | 34% | 39% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 55% | 93% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1280–1450 | 1010–1270 |
| SAT average | 1364 | 1137 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 28–32 | 22–30 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 26–34 · Math 26–32 | English 21–31 · Math 18–27 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 47,208 | 19,052 |
| Students accepted | 26,923 | 17,729 |
| Students who enrolled | 7,196 | 4,519 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 27% | 25% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 43% | 35% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 7% | 4% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Required | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Required |
| Work experience | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 86% | 63% |
| Freshmen who come back | 93% | 85% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $81,698/yr | $58,128/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $53,415–$113,356 | $37,933–$84,890 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 87% | 67% |
| White students graduating | 88% | 61% |
| Black students graduating | 76% | 61% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 83% | 59% |
| Asian students graduating | 91% | 73% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $67,377/yr | $47,161/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 87% | 75% |
| Graduate on time | 69% | 46% |
| Pell students who graduate | 79% | 59% |
| First-gen students who finish | 79% | 63% |
| Low-income students who finish | 78% | 62% |
| Students who transfer out | No data reported | 21% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $75,717/yr | $54,212/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 24% · Engineering 20% · Social Sciences 8% | Visual & Performing Arts 14% · Business, Management & Marketing 13% · Psychology 10% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 24% of degrees | Visual & Performing Arts — 14% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Engineering — 20% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 13% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Social Sciences — 8% of degrees | Psychology — 10% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 7% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 8% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 7% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 8% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Business Administration, Management and Operations — $119,423/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $203,129/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 38% | 23% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 30,923 | 20,753 |
| Students per professor | 17 : 1 | 17 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 7,822 | 7,254 |
| Average professor pay | $14,162/mo | $12,401/mo |
| Full-time professors | 99% | 61% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Median family income | $89,378 | $51,128 |
| Setting | City (small) | City (midsize) |
| Location | Blacksburg, VA | Richmond, VA |
| Region | Southeast | Southeast |
| Founded | 1872 | 1968 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 4.6% | 1.8% |
| Men | 57% | 37% |
| Women | 43% | 63% |
| White students | 57% | 39% |
| Black students | 5.9% | 23% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 9.8% | 12% |
| Asian students | 14% | 14% |
| Two or more races | 5.8% | 8.2% |
| Other / not reported | 3.1% | 2% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 18% | 28% |
| Part-time students | 2.6% | 10% |
| Students age 25+ | 1.6% | 9.1% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $15,632/yr | $16,705/yr |
| Endowment | $1.9B | $2.9B |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 10,213 | 5,973 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $6,520/yr | $7,849/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $5,998/yr | $6,786/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | Land-grant institution | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Navy, Air Force | Yes — Army |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | Yes | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | No | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | No | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FBS | NCAA Division I without football |
| Football team | Yes | No |
| Varsity teams | 18 | 13 |
| Student athletes | 618 | 313 |
| Athletic scholarships | $20.9M | $8.4M |
| Athletics budget | $149.0M | $40.7M |
| Athletics revenue | $151.6M | $40.9M |
| Recruiting spend | $3.4M | $498,226 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.