More selective than 65% of Virginia colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $34,824. College Scorecard.
Higher than 81% of Virginia colleges we cover and 87% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 91% of Virginia colleges we cover and 91% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
VMI acceptance rate & admissions
Of 1,171 applicants, Virginia Military Institute admitted 957 and 469 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1050–1270 on the SAT or 24–31 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
VMI tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Virginia residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
VMI majors, earnings & careers
Virginia Military Institute offers 15 bachelor's majors across 6 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 4
- Engineering · 3
- Humanities & Languages · 3
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Business & Finance · 1
Highest-earning majors at VMI
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $94,397 | $26,000 |
| Civil Engineering | $76,991 | $26,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $76,909 | $19,971 |
| Economics | $76,296 | $23,250 |
| Psychology | $75,059 | $19,250 |
| Applied Mathematics | $74,740 | — |
| Linguistics | $73,971 | — |
| International Relations | $72,700 | $21,500 |
Quick list of all 15 majors
- Applied Mathematics$74,740
- Biology$71,547
- Chemistry—
- Civil Engineering$76,991
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Computer Science$94,397
- Economics$76,296
- Electrical Engineering—
- English—
- History$72,630
- International Relations$72,700
- Linguistics$73,971
- Mechanical Engineering$76,909
- Physics—
- Psychology$75,059
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Civil Engineering → Civil engineer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 6.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Biology → Biological technician
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Lexington
2 bedrooms $1,057.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 43 inches of rain a year, 14 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Lexington City
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Lexington City at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare VMI with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Virginia by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Military Institute | 71% | $17,113 | 76% | $77,369 | This school |
| University of Mary Washington | 80% | $20,667 | 66% | $60,613 | |
| Christopher Newport University | 86% | $23,015 | 72% | $60,509 | |
| Longwood University | 90% | $19,066 | 61% | $52,347 | |
| University of Virginia's College at Wise | 29% | $9,210 | 47% | $45,325 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Virginia Military Institute would cost you $3,554 less per year than University of Mary Washington, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Virginia Military Institute, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$6,406).
- Virginia Military Institute gives aided families $7,241 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Virginia resident | VMI | University of Mary Washington | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $21,046 | $14,640 | +$6,406 |
| Books & supplies | $1,200 | $1,200 | $0 |
| Housing & meals | $10,990 | $14,040 | −$3,050 |
| Personal & travel | $2,150 | $2,750 | −$600 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$562 | −$1,493 | +$931 |
| Sticker price | $34,824 | $31,137 | +$3,687 |
| Average grants | −$17,711 | −$10,470 | −$7,241 |
| You pay | $17,113 | $20,667 | −$3,554 |
“+” means VMI costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about VMI
What is the VMI acceptance rate?
Virginia Military Institute accepts 71% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 957 of 1,171 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1050–1270 on the SAT or 24–31 on the ACT.
How much does Virginia Military Institute cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $34,824 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $17,113 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $12,697 and families earning $110k+ pay $23,434.
How much do VMI graduates earn?
Former Virginia Military Institute students earn a median $77,369 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the VMI graduation rate?
76% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 81% return for their second year.
Is VMI the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Virginia Military Institute: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/virginia-military-institute (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).