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Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Public

Blacksburg, VA

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Virginia Tech was founded in 1872 as the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College, a land-grant institution established under the Morrill Act, and adopted its present legal name, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, in 1970. The university is organized into nine colleges plus a graduate school and operates under the motto Ut Prosim ("That I May Serve"). Its land-grant mission continues through the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, established in 1886, and Virginia Cooperative Extension, established in 1914.

Admissions

Admit rate55%
SAT range1280–1450
ACT range28–32
Undergrads30,923
Yield (admits who enroll)28%
Next deadlineNov 15, 2026 (EA)

Cost & outcomes

Cost of attendance$36,951
4-year grad rate86%
Median earnings, 10yr out$81,698

From the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Not every school reports every field.

Where do you stand against Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's numbers?

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How Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University weighs your application

From Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's own Common Data Set, 2024-25, Section C7 -- not a generic admissions checklist. What is a Common Data Set?

Academic factors
Rigor of secondary school recordVery important
Class rankNot considered
Academic GPAVery important
Standardized test scoresConsidered
Application essayVery important
RecommendationsNot considered
Nonacademic factors
InterviewNot considered
Extracurricular activitiesConsidered
Talent/abilityConsidered
Character/personal qualitiesConsidered
First generationVery important
Alumni relation (legacy)Not considered
Geographical residenceVery important
State residencyVery important
Religious affiliationNot considered
Volunteer workConsidered
Work experienceConsidered
Level of interest (demonstrated interest)Not considered
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See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University weighs in your application

Paying it back

Undergrads taking federal loans34%
Loan balance still growing, 3yrs out81%

"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.

Majors & earnings

Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences
Food Science and Technology$80,161/yr
Agricultural Business and Management$62,398/yr
Plant Sciences$56,630/yr
Agriculture, General$53,568/yr
Animal Sciences$47,224/yr
Architecture and Related Services
Architecture$75,074/yr
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology$67,621/yr
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology$67,253/yr
Biology, General$61,703/yr
Neurobiology and Neurosciences$59,714/yr
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods$108,726/yr
Finance and Financial Management Services$102,902/yr
Accounting and Related Services$99,528/yr
Real Estate$95,576/yr
Business/Managerial Economics$95,271/yr
Construction Management$95,165/yr
Marketing$86,338/yr
Business Administration, Management and Operations$80,023/yr
Hospitality Administration/Management$72,817/yr
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
Communication and Media Studies$66,106/yr
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Computer and Information Sciences, General$144,103/yr
Engineering
Computer Engineering$122,026/yr
Industrial Engineering$116,641/yr
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering$106,633/yr
Chemical Engineering$106,011/yr
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$104,839/yr
Construction Engineering$102,699/yr
Engineering Mechanics$101,509/yr
Mechanical Engineering$96,376/yr
Mining and Mineral Engineering$94,397/yr
Materials Engineering$90,828/yr
Agricultural Engineering$88,315/yr
Civil Engineering$88,142/yr
Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields
Engineering-Related Fields$81,618/yr
English Language and Literature/Letters
English Language and Literature, General$64,225/yr
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services$74,005/yr
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services$65,248/yr
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services$58,340/yr
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services$68,263/yr
History
History$59,819/yr
Mathematics and Statistics
Applied Mathematics$117,990/yr
Statistics$94,300/yr
Mathematics$67,763/yr
Natural Resources and Conservation
Forestry$64,204/yr
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$59,868/yr
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management$47,496/yr
Physical Sciences
Physics$92,746/yr
Chemistry$73,395/yr
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology$67,892/yr
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences$59,969/yr
Psychology
Psychology, General$56,365/yr
Public Administration and Social Service Professions
Public Policy Analysis$66,177/yr
Social Sciences
Economics$92,653/yr
Political Science and Government$75,687/yr
International Relations and National Security Studies$71,988/yr
Geography and Cartography$65,259/yr
Sociology$63,654/yr
Visual and Performing Arts
Design and Applied Arts$72,213/yr
Fine and Studio Arts$58,652/yr
Music$48,028/yr

Median earnings 4 years after graduation, by major, from the US Dept of Education. Only shown where the school reports a real figure for that major -- most schools don't report every major they offer, especially smaller programs.

Campus life

On-campus housingYes
Required to live on campusNo
Dormitory capacity10,300
Typical room charge$6,168
Typical board charge$5,456

Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.

What matters in your application

GPARequired
Class rankNot considered
RecommendationsNot considered

From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.

Frequently asked questions

What does Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University look for in applicants?

Per Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's own Common Data Set (Section C7), it rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, application essay, first generation, geographical residence, state residency as "very important" in admissions decisions -- its own stated top factors, not a generic guess.

What is Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's acceptance rate?

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, VA admits approximately 55% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.

What SAT score do I need for Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University?

Admitted students at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University typically score between 1280–1450 on the SAT (25th–75th percentile).

What ACT score do I need for Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University?

Admitted students at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University typically score between 28–32 on the ACT (25th–75th percentile).

How much does Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University cost?

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's total cost of attendance is reported at $36,951 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.

When is the application deadline for Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University?

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's earliest deadline is Nov 15, 2026 (EA), per its own published admissions calendar.

Does Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University require students to live on campus?

No -- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University doesn't require students to live in on-campus housing.

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