Quad

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VAQuad's selectivityVery selective
Known forBig campusHigh earnersHigh graduation rateTest-optional heavy
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Updates

What changed

New and revised figures from the latest data releases, each with its year.

Published Oct 10, 2026

  • Fall 2025: 57,700 applied (fall 2024: 52,498)Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Fall 2025)

Source:Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Fall 2025), Fall 2025About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Admissions · Fall 2025

5 in 10 applicants admitted

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State admits about 5 in 10 applicants (55%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 81% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

55%

55%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityVery selective

Applied

57,700

Admitted

28,758

Yield

25%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1280–1450

10001600
ACT middle 50%

28–32

1836
Applications +153% since fall 2014 · admit rate 73% → 55%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A very large campus of 30,923 undergrads, where 15% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

30.9K

undergrads · larger than 98% of colleges

Diversity index

0.63

Pell Grant

15%

below the median

First generation

18%

below the median

Small cityNCAA D-I FBS · Atlantic Coast ConferenceROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research
More diverse · index 0.50 → 0.63 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Management Science (8% of graduates). 17 students for every faculty member, more than at 78% of colleges. 99% of faculty are full-time. Spends $15,632 a year on instruction per student.

17 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 78% of colleges

Most popular major

Management Science

8% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Computer and Information Sciences, General

$144.1K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

99%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$15.6K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $40,019 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $15.7K more than the national median. The 60% who received grants paid $24,912 on average; the other 40% paid the full sticker price of $37,252 in-state / $58,468 out-of-state.

12%

$40K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $15.7K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$37,252 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Little need-based aid above $110K
aid thins out for families above that income
Aid generosity

Limited

grants cover 12% of full price

Federal loans

34%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost rising · +11% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $81,698 ten years after enrolling, more than at 92% of colleges; 87% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 2.0 years of that salary.

87%

87%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$81.7K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$21.5K

≈ $228/month for 10 years

Retention

93%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 83% → 86% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 11% after inflation, and what the average first-year paid moved with it. Applications rose 153% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 73% to 55%.

  • Cost

    Rising

    +11% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +153%

  • Selectivity

    More selective

    admit rate 73% → 55% (to fall 2024)

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.50 → 0.63

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

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University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

58% admit · SAT 1365 · 20.4K undergrads

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Purdue University-Main Campus

43% admit · SAT 1340 · 44.5K undergrads

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Fall 2025)

    Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University · Fall 2025 · retrieved 2026-10-10

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  19. 19
    Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (2026)

    Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 233921 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything