Virginia Tech vs University of Virginia-Main Campus (UVA)

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and University of Virginia-Main Campus (UVA) are two of the most prestigious public universities in the United States, offering a wide range of academic programs and opportunities. While both universities share a commitment to excellence in teaching and research, they differ in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. This side-by-side comparison will delve into these differences, providing prospective students with the information they need to make an informed decision about which university is the best fit for their individual needs and aspirations.
University of Virginia-Main Campus logo

University of Virginia-Main Campus

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University logo

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Overview

Location Charlottesville, Virginia Blacksburg, Virginia
Campus setting Suburb: Small City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 97.0% 92.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 20.7% 56.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $85
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $75
SAT range 1380 - 1500 1210 - 1410
ACT range 32 - 35 26 - 32
Students submitting SAT score 52.0% 83.0%
Students submitting ACT score 21.0% 35.0%
Total number of applicants 47,971 42,054
Total number of admissions given out 9,951 23,746
Admitted students who chose to enroll 3,889 6,758
Yield rate 39.1% 28.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $36,314

Out of state: $70,696
In state: $30,104

Out of state: $49,787
Average net price $20,401 $20,109
Tuition
In state: $16,010

Out of state: $49,710
In state: $11,750

Out of state: $30,829
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,110

Meal plan: $5,550
Room/dormitory: $5,890

Meal plan: $4,736
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Other alternative tuition plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

46.0%
Average amount $19,612
58.0%
Average amount $8,018
Students receiving federal student loan 25.0%
Average amount $4,845
40.0%
Average amount $5,316
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $11,030
9.0%
Average amount $20,728

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 17,294
Men 43.7% Women 56.3%
29,760
Men 57.3% Women 42.7%
Graduate students 8,711
Men 46.9% Women 53.1%
7,519
Men 56.5% Women 43.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students 35.2% 39.5%
International students 8.8% 9.9%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Small City: Small
Dormitory capacity 7,645 9,471
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Virginia New York Maryland Pennsylvania New Jersey Virginia Maryland New Jersey North Carolina Pennsylvania

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Social Sciences
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 14:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 93.7% 86.6%
Dropout rate 2.3% 12.3%
Transferred out 3.6% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $185,710
  • Year 2: $162,255
  • Year 3: $193,013
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $157,071
  • Year 2: $155,263
  • Year 3: $176,237
Computer Software and Media Applications (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,350
  • Year 2: $101,406
  • Year 3: $125,729
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $103,426
  • Year 2: $107,256
  • Year 3: $120,362
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $108,239
  • Year 2: $95,739
  • Year 3: $109,956
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $83,639
  • Year 2: $92,077
  • Year 3: $108,272
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $84,682
  • Year 2: $90,146
  • Year 3: $101,904
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,602
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $95,939
Systems Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,487
  • Year 2: $82,808
  • Year 3: $94,931
Public Policy Analysis (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,807
  • Year 2: $70,596
  • Year 3: $84,597
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,287
  • Year 2: $113,246
  • Year 3: $125,427
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $97,383
  • Year 2: $96,691
  • Year 3: $106,931
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $82,448
  • Year 2: $88,678
  • Year 3: $96,747
Veterinary Medicine (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,172
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $93,580
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $75,104
  • Year 2: $78,488
  • Year 3: $90,164
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,370
  • Year 2: $75,518
  • Year 3: $87,658
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,573
  • Year 2: $91,211
  • Year 3: $84,990
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,460
  • Year 2: $73,635
  • Year 3: $83,712
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,805
  • Year 2: $73,272
  • Year 3: $82,738
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,610
  • Year 2: $70,680
  • Year 3: $81,822

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