Kentucky vs. Virginia Tech

Should I go to University of Kentucky or Virginia Tech? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Kentucky or Virginia Tech 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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University of Kentucky vs. Virginia Tech comparison
University of Kentucky Virginia Tech College 3 College 4
University of Kentucky Virginia Tech
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Overview

Kentucky Virginia Tech
Location Lexington, KY Blacksburg, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 32,703 38,294
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #421 #145
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uky.edu vt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Kentucky Virginia Tech
Tuition (In State) $11,849 $12,698
Tuition (Out of State) $32,043 $33,310
Room & Board $15,242 $14,888
Avg Net Price $19,838 $22,205
Avg Grant Aid $13,024 $8,542
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 55%

Admission

Kentucky Virginia Tech
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,233 47,208
Admitted 26,083 26,923
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 57%
Enrolled % 24.7% 26.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.97
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 27/32
SAT Range 1080/1290 1240/1420
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Kentucky Virginia Tech
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Kentucky Virginia Tech
Graduation Rate 59% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $65,000
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,750 $23,966
Median Loan Payment $235 $247

Diversity

Kentucky Virginia Tech
% Men 9% 11%
% Women 17% 9%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 68%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Kentucky Virginia Tech
% In-State 58% 61%
% Out-of-State 40% 33%

Campus

Kentucky Virginia Tech
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Tech is larger than than Kentucky based on total student enrollment (38,294 students vs. 32,703 students)

Kentucky vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or Virginia Tech?

  • Virginia Tech is 7.2% more expensive to attend than Kentucky for in-state tuition ($12,698.00 vs. $11,849.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4% higher at Virginia Tech than University of Kentucky ($33,310.00 vs. $32,043.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kentucky than Virginia Tech ($19,838 vs. $22,205)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Tech are 2.4% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($14,888 vs. $15,242)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kentucky than Virginia Tech (96% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 52.5% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($13,024 vs. $8,542)

Kentucky vs. Virginia Tech Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Tech (1210) is 67 points higher than at Kentucky (1143)
  • Accepted freshman Virginia Tech students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Kentucky (3.59)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Virginia Tech (57%)

Kentucky vs. Virginia Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kentucky or Virginia Tech? 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 Virginia Tech and Kentucky.

  • The graduation rate at Virginia Tech is higher than University of Kentucky (82% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Tech earn on average $14,000 more per year than Kentucky graduates after ten years. ($65,000 vs. $51,000)
  • University of Kentucky students graduate with a $1,216 lower median federal student loan debt than Virginia Tech graduates. ($22,750 vs. $23,966)
  • Kentucky graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Virginia Tech graduates. ($235 vs. $247)
  • More Virginia Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kentucky students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 62%)

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