SU vs. VMI

Should I go to Shenandoah University or Virginia Military Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SU or VMI is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Shenandoah University vs. Virginia Military Institute comparison
Shenandoah University Virginia Military Institute College 3 College 4
Shenandoah University Virginia Military Institute
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Overview

SU VMI
Location Winchester, VA Lexington, VA
Setting Small City Distant Rural
Enrollment 4,260 1,512
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #537 #150
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website su.edu vmi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SU VMI
Tuition (In State) $33,790 $9,782
Tuition (Out of State) $33,790 $39,590
Room & Board $11,230 $10,674
Avg Net Price $26,143 $18,129
Avg Grant Aid $23,467 $19,111
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 69%

Admission

SU VMI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,296 1,192
Admitted 1,845 847
Acceptance Rate 80.4% 71.1%
Enrolled % 25.7% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.65
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/26 22/29
SAT Range 1010/1230 1105/1300
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2024 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

SU VMI
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • History (14%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

SU VMI
Graduation Rate 45% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $258

Diversity

SU VMI
% Men 32% 87%
% Women 68% 13%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 80%
% Black 11% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 13% 0%

Students

SU VMI
% In-State 52% 63%
% Out-of-State 48% 35%

Campus

SU VMI
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Shenandoah University is larger than than VMI based on total student enrollment (4,260 students vs. 1,512 students)

SU vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SU or VMI?

  • Shenandoah University is 245.4% more expensive to attend than VMI for in-state tuition ($33,790.00 vs. $9,782.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.2% higher at VMI than Shenandoah University ($39,590.00 vs. $33,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than SU ($18,129 vs. $26,143)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 5.2% lower than costs at Shenandoah University ($10,674 vs. $11,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shenandoah University than Virginia Military Institute (100% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 22.8% larger than aid received Virginia Military Institute ($23,467 vs. $19,111)

SU vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SU or VMI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VMI or SU .

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Military Institute (1139) is 134 points higher than at SU (1005)
  • Incoming VMI students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at SU (22)
  • Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at VMI (3.65)
  • SU has a higher acceptance rate (80.4%) than VMI (71.1%)

SU vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SU or VMI? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between VMI and SU.

  • The graduation rate at VMI is higher than Shenandoah University (69% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $13,800 more per year than SU graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $48,300)
  • Virginia Military Institute and SU graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($25,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Virginia Military Institute and SU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($258 vs. $258)
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 60%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/