Virginia Military Institute vs University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)

Virginia Military Institute (VMI) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) are two distinct institutions of higher learning that offer unique educational experiences. VMI, a public military college, stands out for its rigorous academic programs, strong military tradition, and small student body, while UNC, a public research university, boasts a diverse student population, a wide range of academic offerings, and a vibrant campus life. With acceptance rates of 34% and 23%, respectively, both universities are selective in their admissions process. VMI's popular majors include civil engineering, business administration, and mechanical engineering, while UNC's popular majors encompass a broader spectrum, including biology, psychology, and business administration. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these institutions, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your decision in choosing the best fit for your academic and personal aspirations.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill logo

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Virginia Military Institute logo

Virginia Military Institute

Overview

Location Chapel Hill, North Carolina Lexington, Virginia
Campus setting City: Small Town: Distant
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 97.0% 87.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 20.4% 63.9%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $85

Graduate: $95
$40
SAT range 1140 - 1380 1080 - 1300
ACT range 22 - 27 22 - 27
Students submitting SAT score 2.0% 29.0%
Students submitting ACT score 12.0% 12.0%
Total number of applicants 50,729 1,549
Total number of admissions given out 10,348 990
Admitted students who chose to enroll 4,690 461
Yield rate 45.3% 46.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $24,770

Out of state: $52,633
In state: $33,182

Out of state: $61,836
Average net price $11,508 $18,100
Tuition
In state: $7,019

Out of state: $34,882
In state: $9,782

Out of state: $38,436
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,878

Meal plan: $5,004
Room/dormitory: $3,102

Meal plan: $7,260
Available payment plans
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

42.0%
Average amount $16,076
91.0%
Average amount $10,832
Students receiving federal student loan 17.0%
Average amount $4,244
59.0%
Average amount $3,385
Students taking out private loans 3.0%
Average amount $14,032
11.0%
Average amount $22,604

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 19,845
Men 39.6% Women 60.4%
1,652
Men 86.2% Women 13.8%
Graduate students 11,796
Men 41.4% Women 58.6%
N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students 16.2% 38.2%
International students 6.8% 1.7%
Campus local/setting City: Small Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 9,984 1,751
First year students are required to live on campus? No Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from North Carolina Georgia Maryland New York Pennsylvania Virginia Pennsylvania Maryland North Carolina New Jersey

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Social Sciences
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Engineering
  • Social Sciences
  • Psychology
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • History
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 10:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 90.5% 73.7%
Dropout rate 3.7% 4.4%
Transferred out 5.4% 21.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $168,979
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $238,213
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $135,965
  • Year 2: $127,836
  • Year 3: $150,089
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $116,248
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $128,102
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,961
  • Year 2: $103,078
  • Year 3: $117,488
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,271
  • Year 2: $86,036
  • Year 3: $96,602
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,162
  • Year 2: $72,083
  • Year 3: $95,204
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,938
  • Year 2: $73,823
  • Year 3: $89,917
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,557
  • Year 2: $57,770
  • Year 3: $87,057
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,899
  • Year 2: $67,660
  • Year 3: $86,155
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,205
  • Year 2: $68,666
  • Year 3: $82,520
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,118
  • Year 2: $41,937
  • Year 3: $60,559
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,215
  • Year 2: $44,942
  • Year 3: $59,186
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,030
  • Year 2: $49,270
  • Year 3: $57,955
International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,302
  • Year 2: $39,305
  • Year 3: $55,311
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,325
  • Year 2: $45,094
  • Year 3: $55,205
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,487
  • Year 2: $38,649
  • Year 3: $52,930
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,025
  • Year 2: $39,909
  • Year 3: $52,845
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,712
  • Year 2: $41,007
  • Year 3: $43,814
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,367
  • Year 2: $64,493
  • Year 3: N/A
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,671
  • Year 2: $46,087
  • Year 3: N/A

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