Colleges by Location
Colleges by Fields of Study
Colleges by Tuition Range
Colleges by GPA Range
College by SAT Range
Colleges by ACT Score
Graduate Schools by Location
Graduate Schools by Fields of Study
Graduate School by Degree Type
Paying for Graduate School
Online Graduate Programs
Test Preparation
Career Planning
College Planning
Graduate School Planning
Applying to Graduate School
Engineering Careers
- More
Lexington , VA
Virginia Military Institute (VMI) is a private, four-year coeducational senior military college located in Lexington, Virginia. Established in 1839, VMI is renowned for its rigorous academic curriculum, strong emphasis on military training, and commitment to producing disciplined and well-rounded leaders. VMI's mission is to educate and develop cadets through a unique and challenging environment that fosters leadership, character, and integrity.
Academically, VMI offers a wide range of undergraduate programs, with majors in engineering, science, humanities, and social sciences. The institute follows the "honors" system, which encourages academic excellence through an honor code system that promotes honesty and integrity. Class sizes are small, allowing for intimate student-faculty interactions and personalized attention. VMI also places a strong emphasis on leadership development, providing cadets with experiential learning opportunities both in the classroom and through various leadership positions within the Corps of Cadets.
At VMI, the military training and discipline are integral parts of the cadet experience. The Corps of Cadets serves as the military unit on campus and all students, referred to as cadets, are members of the corps. The cadet experience involves rigorous physical training, development of teamwork and leadership skills, as well as participation in military drills and ceremonies. VMI places a high value on cultivating character and integrity in its cadets, preparing them for a life of service, leadership, and responsibility in both military and civilian sectors.
Overall, Virginia Military Institute offers a unique academic and military experience, preparing cadets for successful careers and leadership roles. Through its emphasis on rigorous academics, military training, and character development, VMI instills the values of discipline, honor, and integrity in its graduates. VMI's proud heritage, commitment to excellence, and strong sense of community make it a highly respected institution and attract students seeking a transformative educational experience.
Located in Lexington, VA, Virginia Military Institute is a public four-year college. This institution follows a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 71%. The freshman retention rate at Virginia Military Institute is 80.98% and the six-year graduation rate is 76%.
For freshmen, the application deadline for this school is February 1. For transfer students, the application deadline is February 1.
Read more about what Virginia Military Institute has to offer based on the most recent data this institution has reported.
Quick Facts
1,527
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
9:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
76%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the institution's criteria for admission, you can make a better judgment about your eligibility and boost your chances of getting accepted. Learn some essential data about admission policy and requirements at Virginia Military Institute.
In 2025, the school accepted 1,472 new students. Virginia Military Institute has an official test-optional admission policy but considers standardized test scores if the applicant decides to submit them. Looking at entrance difficulty level for all or most incoming freshmen, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is moderately difficult to get into.
Test Scores
4.1% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 3.4% submitted ACT scores, out of the overall number of those who submitted test scores. 5.26% of the freshmen submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 36.84% between 1,200 and 1,399, 47.37% between 1,000 and 1,199, 5.26% between 800 and 999, and 5.26% of the students between 600 and 799. The percent of incoming freshmen who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 31.25, 43.75 between 24-29, 25 in the range between 18-23, and 10 between 12-17.
The average ACT score for all the accepted students in 2025 was 25 while the average GPA was 3.59. Therefore, the chances are that you'll need a GPA higher than the average for acceptance, and the same goes for your ACT score.
The new students had an average SAT Critical Reading score of 614 and an average SAT Math score of 600.
Deadlines
Be sure to apply to this school by February 1. If you are applying for a transfer, note that the application deadline is February 1.
Retention Rate
What is the freshman retention rate? The freshman retention rate is the percentage of full-time students who entered the institution as freshmen in the previous academic year and returned for the fall term of the current academic year. When you make your list of possible schools to attend, make sure to consider the freshmen retention rate.
The freshman retention rate for Virginia Military Institute was 80.98% in 2025, reflecting the superb quality of the educational programs at this institution.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This rate shows how many students complete their degrees in a certain number of years. The six-year completion rate at this institution is 76%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
It is never easy to figure out which school is the best choice for you. Gaining a better insight into a school's student body helps you learn more about its culture and life.
Main Student Body
The total number of students enrolled at Virginia Military Institute in 2025 was 1,527.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 37.54% for that year. There was a total of 1,527 undergraduate students, including 30 international students. The school admitted a total of 30 transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 1,307 male and 220 female full-time students in 2025.
Student Population Diversity
The importance of student diversity cannnot be denied, when it comes to the overall feeling of inclusion and beloning among the students of any school. A heterogeneous student body brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Find out more about different ethnic groups you can meet at Virginia Military Institute.
This school had 72 Asian students and 118 Afro-American students in 2025. 161 undergraduate students at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 68 as multirace. The school also had 9 students who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 7 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 6 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Financial planning for school is one of the most important things to consider before you apply. Here are some details you should know about the cost of attendance for Virginia Military Institute.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some facts that can be useful if you were curious about Virginia Military Institute estimated tuition fees.
For local residents, public county and municipal institutions reported that tuition costs were $10,368. Tuition fees were $41,960 for students coming from a different state. Tuition costs at Virginia Military Institute for international students equalled $41,960. Fees per academic year required of full-time students reached $10,998 in 2025.
| Category | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-State | $41,960 | $10,998 | $52,958 |
| In-State | $10,368 | $10,998 | $21,366 |
Books and Supplies
Another important financial factor to consider is the estimated price of books and supplies for a college or university. Most students have to pay about $1,200 for books and supplies during their time at Virginia Military Institute.
Boarding
Besides tuition, another cost to consider is the price of housing in the dorms and eating at the school cafeteria. How much do room and board fees average around at colleges and universities?
In 2025, room and board cost at Virginia Military Institute amounted to $11,650 a year. If you only needed a dorm room, it cost $3,488 for the 2025 academic year.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 10,368 |
| Room and Board | $ 11,650 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,200 |
| Total Expense | $ 23,218 |
Financial Aid
Financial help for students comes in different forms: grants, loans, scholarships, or work-study programs. If you are interested in finding out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Virginia Military Institute, here are some recent data you should take into consideration.
The most recent records show that 357 freshmen received some sort of financial help. The average amount of financial aid given to students was $27,274.
Need-based
If you need help with paying for your studies and you meet other eligibility requirements, you may be eligible for need-based aid.
There were 660 students who secured need-based financial aid of any kind. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Virginia Military Institute is available to international students. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need came to be 980. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution stood at $1,633,145, and state $1,597,063. The students of Virginia Military Institute received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $3,391,506, and external in the amount of $449,345.
$14,579
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based financial aid is any type of financial aid provided to a student who does not meet the criteria for need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 470 students overall (including freshmen) at Virginia Military Institute in 2025. 96 full-time freshmen were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. The total dollar amount of federal non-need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the studens at this school was $1,633,145 while the state aid is $13,392,026. The total amount of non-need-based institutional scholarships/grants was $14,227,957. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $916,367 USD.
Majors
Faculty
9:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
Getting information about the faculty at a school can help you estimate the quality of education you will receive there.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Virginia Military Institute was 9:1: that means 9 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. The total number of faculty teaching at the institution is 205. This number included 136 men and 69 women.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Not everything at Virginia Military Institute is about learning and grades: campus life is an essential part of your educational experience. Check out some information about campus life at Virginia Military Institute.
Its campus is 134 acres in size.
Student Organizations
Being a member of a student organization will make you connect better with your fellow students and enjoy your college years more.
There are 70 student organizations and groups with open membership at this school. The most popular student organization is Newman Club, followed by Rugby and Promaji Club. Other popular student organizations at this school are Building BRIDGES and EMT.
Students interested in music can join the Virginia Military Institute band or chorus. For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. For students looking to explore media and communication, Virginia Military Institute publishes its own newspaper.
Student Services
At Virginia Military Institute, there are many amenities that make life on campus comfortable and safe.
24/7 emergency phone and alarm devices are available. There is a round-the-clock security patrol. There is a medical clinic with personal/psychological counseling. All in all, campus life at Virginia Military Institute is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Virginia Military Institute.
Career Counselling
At Virginia Military Institute, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. There is campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be highly beneficial for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
Job Placement
Finding out some information about the expected post-graduation salary can help you decide if a particular school suits your career objectives.
Within six months of graduation, this school's students can expect an average base annual starting salary of 60,387 USD.
$60,387
Average Starting Salary After 6 Months of Graduation
FAQ
-
Virginia Military Institute is located in Lexington, VA.
-
Virginia Military Institute offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
-
This school has an official test-optional admission policy but makes use of SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, or other standardized test scores in admission decisions for the candidates who choose to submit them.
-
The most recent reported acceptance rate for Virginia Military Institute is 71%.
-
The most recent reported freshman retention rate for Virginia Military Institute is 80.98%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
Find the best schools for you.
Need help with choosing grad school? We got you.
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.