Virginia Tech vs Washington State University (WSU)

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and Washington State University (WSU) are two prominent public research universities with distinct characteristics. Virginia Tech, located in Blacksburg, Virginia, boasts a higher acceptance rate (70%) compared to WSU's 68%. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, with Virginia Tech excelling in engineering, computer science, and business, while WSU is renowned for its agriculture, veterinary medicine, and hospitality management programs. Virginia Tech's student body is slightly larger, with over 30,000 undergraduates, while WSU has a more diverse student population, with a higher percentage of international students. In terms of graduation rates, Virginia Tech has a slightly higher four-year graduation rate (68%) compared to WSU's 65%. To help you make an informed decision, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these aspects and more, allowing you to assess which university better aligns with your academic aspirations
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University logo

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Washington State University logo

Washington State University

Overview

Location Blacksburg, Virginia Pullman, Washington
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 and Graduate
Students retention rate 92.0% 81.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 56.5% 85.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $75
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $75
SAT range 1210 - 1410 N/A
ACT range 26 - 32 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 83.0%
Students submitting ACT score 35.0%
Total number of applicants 42,054 18,197
Total number of admissions given out 23,746 15,607
Admitted students who chose to enroll 6,758 4,007
Yield rate 28.5% 25.7%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $30,104

Out of state: $49,787
In state: $28,767

Out of state: $44,083
Average net price $20,109 $11,877
Tuition
In state: $11,750

Out of state: $30,829
In state: $10,457

Out of state: $25,773
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,890

Meal plan: $4,736
Room/dormitory: $7,400

Meal plan: $4,350
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Other alternative tuition plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

58.0%
Average amount $8,018
86.0%
Average amount $9,993
Students receiving federal student loan 40.0%
Average amount $5,316
27.0%
Average amount $5,042
Students taking out private loans 9.0%
Average amount $20,728
3.0%
Average amount $15,454

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 29,760
Men 57.3% Women 42.7%
24,278
Men 45.9% Women 54.1%
Graduate students 7,519
Men 56.5% Women 43.5%
5,565
Men 44.7% Women 55.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students 39.5% 15.2%
International students 9.9% 5.7%
Campus local/setting City: Small Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 9,471 7,043
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Virginia Maryland New Jersey North Carolina Pennsylvania Washington California Oregon Idaho Hawaii

Academics

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

Outcome

Graduation rate 86.6% 59.5%
Dropout rate 12.3% 38.1%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
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
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $135,393
  • Year 3: $143,888
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,911
  • Year 2: $123,178
  • Year 3: $127,531
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $90,080
  • Year 2: $100,915
  • Year 3: $120,737
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $111,957
  • Year 2: $112,073
  • Year 3: $119,910
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $106,275
  • Year 2: $105,813
  • Year 3: $117,478
Veterinary Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $82,971
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $96,760
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,468
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $88,746
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,693
  • Year 2: $75,204
  • Year 3: $81,535
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,112
  • Year 2: $68,808
  • Year 3: $80,939
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,531
  • Year 2: $72,881
  • Year 3: $79,650

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