Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University — College Profile

About

Located in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains of Blacksburg, Virginia Tech is a premier public research university renowned for its powerhouse College of Engineering alongside top-ranked programs in architecture, business, and agricultural sciences. The institution is defined by its service-oriented motto, *Ut Prosim* ("That I May Serve"), distinctive native Hokie Stone architecture, and its unique status as a public land-grant university that maintains an active, integrated Corps of Cadets. Campus culture is vibrant, tight-knit, and spirited, characterized by consistently top-rated campus dining and an electric athletic pride famously showcased during Lane Stadium’s "Enter Sandman" entrance.

Wikipedia:Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly referred to as Virginia Tech (VT), is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. It was founded as the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1872.

Location

Blacksburg, VA, 24061-0131 · City campus

✈

Nearest airport from college

RDU · Raleigh-Durham

130 mi away

Open in Google Maps

Cost & aid

Cost of attendance

These figures are federal data and may be out of date.

In-stateOut-of-state

Tuition & fees$15,948$37,764

Housing & food (on campus)$16,550$16,550

Books & supplies$2,678$2,678

Cost of attendance$36,951$58,767 est.

Average net price$24,953Not published

Out-of-state prices

Tuition & fees$37,764

In-state: $15,948

Housing & food (on campus)$16,550

Books & supplies$2,678

Cost of attendance$58,767 est.

In-state: $36,951

Average net priceNot published

In-state: $24,953

est. = the in-state cost of attendance with out-of-state tuition swapped in; no out-of-state figure is published.

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24

$0–30k

$11,689

$30–48k

$11,670

$48–75k

$17,894

$75–110k

$25,835

$110k+

$34,201

Your family's actual price → Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University net price calculator

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Merit aid · 2025-26

Awarded without financial need. Students with financial need can get merit awards too; they're counted as need-based aid.

Average award$3,169

Share of first-years who get one15%

Source: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's Common Data Set — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures.

Outcomes

Completion

Within 6 yrs

86%

Entered 2017–18

Within 4 yrs

69%

Back for yr 2

93%

Transferred

8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students

87% graduated · 9% transferred · 4% left or unknown · none still enrolled

Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021

6 yrs after entry$67,377

10 yrs after entry$81,698

Debt

Median at graduation$21,500

Monthly payment$228

Middle 50% owe$11k–$28k

90th percentile$31,000

Green marks a figure above the typical Doctoral University: 70% graduate within 6 yrs, $63,395 earned 10 yrs after entry.

Admissions

Getting in · applied for fall 2024

Admit rate

55%

Test policy

Test optional

Checked Sep 2026

SAT average

1364

R 640–710 · M 640–740

ACT midpoint

Comp 28–32 · E 26–34 · M 26–32

SAT middle 50%: 1280–1450

40080012001600

Application deadlines · first-year, fall 2027 entry

Early Action

Nov 15 2026

in 44 days

Not binding: apply early, hear early, and you can still apply elsewhere.

Regular Decision

Jan 15 2027

in 105 days

Not binding: the standard deadline.

Checked Oct 2026 · vt.edu · Confirm on the school's site before you apply.

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Essay prompts

If Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body

Gender

Men 57%Women 43%

Who enrolls

Faculty ratio

17 : 1

Pell grant

15%

First-gen

18%

Family income

$89,378

Independent

Age at entry

19.0

Part-time

Race & ethnicity

White

57%

Hispanic

10%

Black

Asian

14%

Two or more

Non-resident

Unknown

Varsity sports

NCAA Division I-FBS · EADA 2024-25

Baseball
Men's
Basketball
Men's · Women's
Football
Men's
Golf
Men's · Women's
Lacrosse
Women's
Soccer
Men's · Women's
Softball
Women's
Swimming and Diving (combined)
Men's · Women's
Tennis
Men's · Women's
Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
Men's · Women's
Volleyball
Women's
Wrestling
Men's

Programs & Earnings

Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings

Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021

After 6 yrs

$67,377

After 10 yrs

$81,698

Computer and Information Sciences, General526

Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods486

Finance and Financial Management Services359

Mechanical Engineering342

Biology, General315

Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services261

Marketing257

Psychology, General247

Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering246

Civil Engineering242

Industrial Engineering240

Business Administration, Management and Operations240

Computer Engineering233

Communication and Media Studies225

Neurobiology and Neurosciences215

Sociology211

Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.

Institutional

Resources

Endowment

$1.9B

Full-time faculty

99%

Faculty salary

$14,162/mo

Teaching spend

$15,632

per student

Federal loans

34%

Classification

Carnegie type

Doctoral University

Research activity

R1 — very high research

$657M research spending · 501 research doctorates a year

Undergraduate profile

Four-year, more selective admissions