Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Public four-year university in Blacksburg, VA that costs an average of $25,808 a year after financial aid, admits 55% of applicants and graduates 86% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$25,808
Acceptance rate
55%
Graduation rate
86%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$88,716
PublicSmall city30,923 undergraduates
Cost of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $39,324 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $16,450 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $38,914 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $16,046 |
| Books and supplies | $3,270 |
| Average net price after aid | $25,808 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $11,378 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $9,464 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $15,085 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $22,747 |
| $110,001+ | $35,800 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships (in-state students). Get your own estimate with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 55% |
|---|---|
| Average SAT | 1,364 |
| SAT reading (25th–75th percentile) | 640–710 |
| SAT math (25th–75th percentile) | 640–740 |
| ACT composite (25th–75th percentile) | 28–32 |
| Test scores | Considered but not required |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 86% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 93% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $71,869 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $88,716 |
| Rank in Virginia (earnings) | 5th of 51 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $20,500 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $233 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 17% |
| Students with federal loans | 33% |
Majors and programs at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (73)
Associate's degree programs (1)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Production Operations | 88 | $42,136 | $11,000 |
Master's degree programs (70)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other | 326 | $118,129 | $35,156 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 560 | $103,683 | $20,500 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 122 | $103,593 | $26,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 277 | $102,889 | $41,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 118 | $98,920 | — |
| Civil Engineering | 187 | $83,146 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | 125 | $76,602 | $20,500 |
| Public Administration | 35 | $75,686 | — |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 188 | $71,365 | $30,750 |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | 61 | $66,510 | — |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 96 | $65,186 | $41,000 |
| Public Health | 100 | $60,702 | $29,500 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 158 | $55,349 | $28,534 |
| Agriculture | 77 | $53,199 | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 30 | $49,996 | — |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 35 | $46,870 | — |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 37 | — | — |
| Agricultural Engineering | 16 | — | — |
| Animal Sciences | 24 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | — | — | — |
| Applied Statistics | 23 | — | — |
| Architecture | — | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | — | — | — |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 54 | — | — |
| Biology | 19 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 26 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 4 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 14 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 19 | — | — |
| Computer Engineering | 205 | — | — |
| Construction Management | 17 | — | — |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | 37 | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 8 | — | — |
| Economics | 12 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 112 | — | — |
| Engineering Mechanics | 16 | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | 4 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 13 | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 18 | — | — |
| Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management | 18 | — | — |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | 4 | — | — |
| Forestry | 30 | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 20 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 11 | — | — |
| Graphic Communications | 8 | — | — |
| Historic Preservation and Conservation | 10 | — | — |
| History | 11 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 6 | — | — |
| Industrial Engineering | 112 | — | — |
| Landscape Architecture | 2 | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 11 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 32 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 28 | — | — |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering | 7 | — | — |
| Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering | 8 | — | — |
| Nuclear Engineering | 8 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 10 | — | — |
| Physics | 11 | — | — |
| Plant Sciences | 12 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 18 | — | — |
| Polymer/Plastics Engineering | 1 | — | — |
| Psychology | 26 | — | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 16 | — | — |
| Science, Technology and Society | 9 | — | — |
| Sociology | 15 | — | — |
| Statistics | 15 | — | — |
| Systems Engineering | 22 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 14 | — | — |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | 21 | — | — |
| Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences | 20 | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (52)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veterinary Medicine | — | $111,973 | $173,910 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 65 | $100,022 | $57,151 |
| Biology | 53 | $68,686 | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 22 | $60,861 | — |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 53 | — | — |
| Agricultural Engineering | 10 | — | — |
| Animal Sciences | 21 | — | — |
| Architecture | 12 | — | — |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 18 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 10 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 23 | — | — |
| Botany/Plant Biology | 5 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | — | — | — |
| Business/Commerce | 27 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 18 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 30 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 54 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 42 | — | — |
| Computer Engineering | 24 | — | — |
| Economics | 21 | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 5 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 66 | — | — |
| Engineering Mechanics | 12 | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | 20 | — | — |
| Environmental Design | 12 | — | — |
| Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management | 7 | — | — |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | 12 | — | — |
| Forestry | 16 | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 4 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 17 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 10 | — | — |
| Industrial Engineering | 34 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 18 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 14 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 55 | — | — |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering | 9 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 3 | — | — |
| Nuclear Engineering | 6 | — | — |
| Physics | 13 | — | — |
| Plant Sciences | 16 | — | — |
| Polymer/Plastics Engineering | 9 | — | — |
| Psychology | 15 | — | — |
| Public Administration | 11 | — | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 5 | — | — |
| Science, Technology and Society | 8 | — | — |
| Social Sciences, Other | 14 | — | — |
| Sociology | 9 | — | — |
| Statistics | 13 | — | — |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 6 | — | — |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | 22 | — | — |
| Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences | 29 | — | — |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 8 | — | — |
Professional degree programs (2)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine | 85 | $64,271 | $244,222 |
| Veterinary Medicine | 246 | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (58)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | — | $83,364 | $30,750 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 20 | $82,000 | — |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 1 | — | — |
| Applied Statistics | 3 | — | — |
| Behavioral Sciences | 1 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 101 | — | — |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | — | — | — |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | 2 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 6 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other | — | — | — |
| Computer Programming | 63 | — | — |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | 50 | — | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | — | — | — |
| Construction Management | — | — | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 7 | — | — |
| Data Analytics | 65 | — | — |
| Data Processing | 32 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | 4 | — | — |
| Economics | 8 | — | — |
| Education, Other | — | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 8 | — | — |
| Engineering Mechanics | — | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | 8 | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 1 | — | — |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 101 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 4 | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 3 | — | — |
| Forestry | — | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 11 | — | — |
| Gerontology | 3 | — | — |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities | 1 | — | — |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | 47 | — | — |
| History | 2 | — | — |
| Homeland Security | 7 | — | — |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 1 | — | — |
| Human Computer Interaction | 6 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 1 | — | — |
| Industrial Engineering | 1 | — | — |
| Information Science/Studies | 12 | — | — |
| Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies | 10 | — | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 3 | — | — |
| International/Globalization Studies | 4 | — | — |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 26 | — | — |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies | 3 | — | — |
| Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering | — | — | — |
| Nuclear Engineering | 2 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 3 | — | — |
| Public Administration | 52 | — | — |
| Public Health | 9 | — | — |
| Public Policy Analysis | 7 | — | — |
| Science, Technology and Society | 1 | — | — |
| Security Science and Technology | 127 | — | — |
| Surveying Engineering | 6 | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 169 | — | — |
| Systems Engineering | 1 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 111 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 3 | — | — |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | — | — | — |
Similar colleges in Virginia
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Mason University | Fairfax | $14,697 | 87% | $79,923 |
| James Madison University | Harrisonburg | $23,550 | 72% | $75,482 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond | $25,037 | 93% | $64,442 |
| University of Virginia-Main Campus | Charlottesville | $18,056 | 17% | $96,468 |
| Old Dominion University | Norfolk | $12,913 | 90% | $60,482 |
| William & Mary | Williamsburg | $18,880 | 34% | $83,488 |
| Radford University | Radford | $13,701 | 90% | $59,134 |
| Norfolk State University | Norfolk | $12,180 | 88% | $49,237 |
About Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
| Type | Public four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | Blacksburg, VA |
| Setting | Small city |
| Undergraduates | 30,923 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 17 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Website | vt.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's acceptance rate?
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University admits 55% of applicants. Admitted students average 1,364 on the SAT.
How much does Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $39,324 a year (tuition and fees: $16,450 in-state, $38,914 out-of-state). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $25,808 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $11,378.
How much do Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $88,716 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 5th of 51 similar colleges in Virginia. The best-paid bachelor's program is computer and information sciences ($98,085 a year after graduation).
What is Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's graduation rate?
86% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 93% of first-year students return for a second year.