Liberal arts college
#20 Best value colleges in the South in AmericaVirginia Military Institute
Lexington, VA · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $17,113 a year
Median debt at graduation: $22,996 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best small colleges in America#85 of 906
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#66 of 681
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#66 of 598
- Best value colleges in America#75 of 674
- Best value colleges in the South in America#20 of 153
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#248 of 1,829
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- Best colleges in America#267 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#209 of 1,418
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#105 of 704
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#103 of 690
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#210 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#199 of 1,283
- Best test-optional colleges in America#230 of 1,481
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#107 of 682
- Best colleges for history in America#208 of 1,247
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#210 of 1,162
- Best colleges for computer science in America#149 of 750
- Best colleges for engineering in America#156 of 749
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#156 of 704
In Virginia
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in Virginia#1 of 20
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in Virginia#1 of 20
- Best value colleges in Virginia#3 of 20
- Best value colleges in the South in Virginia#3 of 20
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Virginia#3 of 19
- Best colleges for computer science in Virginia#3 of 18
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- Best colleges for psychology in Virginia#7 of 41
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Virginia#7 of 38
- Best colleges for English in Virginia#7 of 38
- Best colleges for chemistry in Virginia#7 of 36
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Virginia#10 of 51
- Best colleges for history in Virginia#8 of 40
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in Virginia#4 of 18
- Best colleges for engineering in Virginia#5 of 22
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Virginia#5 of 22
- Best small colleges in Virginia#7 of 30
- Best colleges in Virginia#12 of 51
- Best test-optional colleges in Virginia#11 of 43
- Best colleges for economics in Virginia#7 of 27
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Virginia#6 of 22
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.76%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.81%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,244 · ACT 27.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.9 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$21,289
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $34,824 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 1,560 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 86% · Women 14% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 15% |
| Total students | 1,560 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $17,113 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $34,824 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $22,996 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 76% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 81% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 86% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 84% |
| First-year retention | 81% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $77,369 |
| Admission rate | 71% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Financial aid priority deadline College website, 2026-27 | March 1 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 16% |
| Average SAT | 1244 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 550–630 |
| SAT math | 500–640 |
| ACT composite | 24–31 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Exceptional · Top 10% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Computer science | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Economics | |
| Psychology | |
| Applied mathematics | |
| Linguistics | |
| International relations | |
| History | |
| Biology |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Chemistry, Computing and information science, Electrical engineering, English, Physics.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Social sciences | |
| Engineering | |
| History | |
| Psychology | |
| Biology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 0% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 0% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $11,310 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Southern Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Navy · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 9 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 100%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $458,729IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Lynchburg Regional Airport - Preston Glenn Field (LYH)About 35 miles away · about 1 hour 10 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Richmond International Airport (RIC)About 117 miles away |
| Town population | 7,525Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | GreensboroAbout 119 miles away · about 3 hours 20 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 34°F in January · 75°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Lexington, VA |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 1.31 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Virginia Military Institute’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 15% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Virginia Military Institute cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $17,113 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Virginia Military Institute?
- Virginia Military Institute admitted 71% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Virginia Military Institute’s graduates do?
- 76% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $77,369; the median federal debt at graduation is $22,996.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 234085
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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