Quad
Virginia Military InstituteLexington, VA · Public

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is International Relations and Affairs (18% of graduates). 9 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 84% of colleges. 100% of faculty are full-time. Spends $21,289 a year on instruction per student.

Most popular majors

353 bachelor's degrees, 2024–25 graduates

The top 5 programs account for 64% of graduates; 14 programs in 10 fields awarded at least one.

  1. International Relations and Affairs 45.090118% 62
    Graduates in this field earn $72,700 4 years out
  2. Economics, General 45.060113% 45
    Graduates in this field earn $76,296 4 years out
  3. Psychology, General 42.010112% 41
    Graduates in this field earn $75,059 4 years out
  4. History, General 54.010111% 40
    Graduates in this field earn $72,630 4 years out
  5. Civil Engineering, General 14.080110% 37
    Graduates in this field earn $76,991 4 years out

Fastest-growing field: Social sciences, 27% → 30% of graduates since 2014–15 (107 graduates in 2024–25).

Source:IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2014–15 to 2024–25About the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)

Bachelor's degrees awarded July through June, by federal program name (), which can differ from what the college calls a major. A double major counts once, under the ; its other field is a . Earnings are College Scorecard's median for graduates of the program's broader field (), 4 years after completion; see Top-earning majors below.

Top-earning majors here

By earnings 4 years after completion

  1. Computer Science$94,397 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $58,225

    4 years after completion$94,397
    National median: $107,009Below typical

    Median federal debt: $26,000 · 42 graduates, two most recent years combined

  2. Civil Engineering$76,991 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $61,547

    4 years after completion$76,991
    National median: $86,517Below typical

    4 years out, Pell: $74,694 · Non-Pell: $70,877(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $25,750 · 99 graduates, two most recent years combined

  3. Mechanical Engineering$76,909 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $47,837

    4 years after completion$76,909
    National median: $92,135Below typical

    Median federal debt: $19,971 · 49 graduates, two most recent years combined

  4. Economics$76,296 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $46,046

    4 years after completion$76,296
    National median: $82,686Below typical

    4 years out, Pell: Too few graduates to report · Non-Pell: $72,567(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $22,150 · 93 graduates, two most recent years combined

  5. Psychology, General$75,059 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $44,163

    4 years after completion$75,059
    National median: $50,706Above typical

    Median federal debt: $19,250 · 73 graduates, two most recent years combined

Bachelor's programs only, among graduates who received federal financial aid and were working (not enrolled in school) in the measurement year.

Students per faculty member vs. every college9 to 1
9 to 1
← Fewer students per facultyfewer students per faculty member than 84% of 1,892More students per faculty →

The college also reports 9 to 1 in its Common Data Set (1,496 students, 171 faculty).

Not the average class size: faculty also teach graduate students and do research, and large lectures can sit alongside small seminars.

Class sizes

88%

of classes have fewer than 20 students

Under 20 students 20 or moreStudents per class section
Undergraduate class sections by number of students
StudentssectionsShare
2–913421%
10–1943568%
20–297211%
30–3920%
40–4900%
50–9900%
100+00%

This counts class sections, not students: a lecture of 300 is one section, so a student is more likely to sit in a large class than the share of sections suggests. Labs and discussion sections are counted separately and left out here.

Programs & curriculum

  • Double major
  • Honors program
  • Independent study
  • Internships
  • Study abroad

Requires coursework in English composition, a foreign language, history, physical education, humanities, intensive writing, math, a natural science, and social science.

Full-time faculty100%
National median: 67%Above typical
Average faculty salary

$81,628

9-month equated, all ranks combined. Pay tracks local cost of living as much as a college's generosity.

Spending and endowment

Fiscal 2023–24. Compared only against other public colleges: public and private colleges report finances on different accounting forms that aren't comparable. Many public universities' endowments sit mostly in a separate foundation this survey doesn't count, so this likely understates what's actually available.

Instruction spending per student$21,289
$21,289
← Lessmore than 91% of 557More →
Endowment per student$453,647
$453,647
← Lessmore than 100% of 537More →

Sources:IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard Field of Study data, most recent release;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks), Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures, 2023–24;Virginia Military Institute Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Virginia Military Institute Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)