Earlham vs. VMI

Deciding between Earlham College and Virginia Military Institute? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Earlham College
Virginia Military Institute

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Earlham Richmond, IN
  • VMI Lexington, VA
  • Setting
  • Earlham Distant Town
  • VMI Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • Earlham 753
  • VMI 1,527
  • Type
  • Earlham Private 4 Year
  • VMI Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Earlham
  • VMI #123
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Earlham Friends
  • VMI -
  • Status
  • Earlham Non-profit
  • VMI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Earlham
  • VMI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Earlham $53,930
  • VMI $21,046
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Earlham $53,930
  • VMI $52,638
  • Room & Board
  • Earlham $13,985
  • VMI $11,310
  • Average Net Price
  • Earlham $27,107
  • VMI $18,825
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Earlham $40,618
  • VMI $23,821
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Earlham 100%
  • VMI 81%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Earlham 2,075
  • VMI 2,066
  • Admitted
  • Earlham 1,517
  • VMI 1,472
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Earlham 73.1%
  • VMI 71.2%
  • Enrolled
  • Earlham 13.9%
  • VMI 31.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Earlham 1200
  • VMI 1160
  • Typical ACT score
  • Earlham 28
  • VMI 27
  • Average High School GPA
  • Earlham 3.67
  • VMI 3.65
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Earlham A-
  • VMI A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Earlham Difficult
  • VMI Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • Earlham Low
  • VMI Low
  • ACT Range
  • Earlham 24/33
  • VMI 24/31
  • SAT Range
  • Earlham 1110/1290
  • VMI 1050/1270
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Earlham Test optional
  • VMI Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Earlham Mar 1, 2027
  • VMI Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Earlham 7:1
  • VMI 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Earlham
    • General Studies (18%)
    • Biology (17%)
    • Social Sciences (14%)
    • Physical Sciences (7%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • VMI
    • Social Sciences (30%)
    • Engineering (23%)
    • History (14%)
    • Psychology (12%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Earlham 66%
  • VMI 69%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Earlham $39,100
  • VMI $62,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Earlham 75%
  • VMI 84%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Earlham $26,000
  • VMI $25,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Earlham $268
  • VMI $258

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Earlham 47%
  • VMI 86%
  • % Women
  • Earlham 53%
  • VMI 14%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Earlham High
  • VMI Low
  • HBCU
  • Earlham No
  • VMI No
  • % White
  • Earlham 51%
  • VMI 80%
  • % Asian
  • Earlham 5%
  • VMI 4%
  • % Black
  • Earlham 12%
  • VMI 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Earlham 6%
  • VMI 5%
  • % Native American
  • Earlham 1%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Earlham 0%
  • VMI 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Earlham 0%
  • VMI 2%
  • % International
  • Earlham 22%
  • VMI 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Earlham 2%
  • VMI 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Earlham 39%
  • VMI 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Earlham 41%
  • VMI 35%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Earlham Yes
  • VMI Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Earlham No
  • VMI Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Earlham Yes
  • VMI Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Earlham No
  • VMI No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Earlham No
  • VMI No

Comparable Facts

Compare Earlham College in Richmond, IN with Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Virginia Military Institute is larger than Earlham based on total student enrollment (1,527 students vs. 753 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Earlham College is located in Richmond, IN (Distant Town setting); Virginia Military Institute is in Lexington, VA (Distant Rural setting).
  • Earlham College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia Military Institute is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Earlham College 7:1; Virginia Military Institute 9:1.

Earlham vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Earlham or VMI? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than Earlham ($18,825 vs. $27,107).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 19.1% lower than at Earlham College ($11,310 vs. $13,985).
  • Earlham College is 156.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than VMI (about $32,884 more per year; $53,930.00 vs. $21,046.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 2.5% higher at Earlham than at Virginia Military Institute (about $1,292 more per year; $53,930.00 vs. $52,638.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Earlham College than at Virginia Military Institute (100% vs. 81%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Earlham College students is 70.5% larger than aid received by Virginia Military Institute students ($40,618 vs. $23,821).

Earlham vs. VMI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Earlham or VMI? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between VMI and Earlham.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Earlham College (1200) is 40 points higher than at VMI (1160).
  • Incoming Earlham students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 27 at VMI).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Earlham College 1110/1290; Virginia Military Institute 1050/1270.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Earlham College 24/33; Virginia Military Institute 24/31.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Earlham - Test optional; VMI - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Earlham Mar 1, 2027; VMI Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Earlham students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at VMI (3.65).
  • Earlham has a higher acceptance rate (73.1%) than VMI (71.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 13.9% at Earlham vs. 31.7% at VMI.

Earlham vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Earlham and VMI? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Virginia Military Institute's six-year graduation rate (69%) is higher than Earlham College's (66%).
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn a median of about $23,000 more per year than Earlham graduates about ten years after starting college ($62,100 vs. $39,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Virginia Military Institute graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than Earlham graduates ($25,000 vs. $26,000).
  • Among borrowers, VMI graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Earlham graduates ($258 vs. $268).
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Earlham students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 75%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.