UMass vs. UVA

Deciding between University of Massachusetts Amherst and University of Virginia Main Campus? 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.

University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Virginia Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • UMass Amherst, MA
  • UVA Charlottesville, VA
  • Setting
  • UMass Town Fringe
  • UVA Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • UMass 31,726
  • UVA 26,409
  • Type
  • UMass Public 4 Year
  • UVA Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UMass #169
  • UVA #58
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UMass -
  • UVA -
  • Status
  • UMass Non-profit
  • UVA Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UMass
  • UVA

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UMass $17,772
  • UVA $21,803
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UMass $40,449
  • UVA $59,512
  • Room & Board
  • UMass $16,710
  • UVA $14,800
  • Average Net Price
  • UMass $22,948
  • UVA $18,427
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UMass $13,110
  • UVA $28,715
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UMass 81%
  • UVA 39%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UMass 50,261
  • UVA 58,951
  • Admitted
  • UMass 30,020
  • UVA 9,909
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UMass 59.7%
  • UVA 16.8%
  • Enrolled
  • UMass 17.9%
  • UVA 40%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UMass 1410
  • UVA 1480
  • Typical ACT score
  • UMass 31
  • UVA 33
  • Average High School GPA
  • UMass 3.99
  • UVA 3.85
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UMass A
  • UVA A
  • Admissions Standards
  • UMass Exceptional
  • UVA Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • UMass Low
  • UVA Very High
  • ACT Range
  • UMass 30/33
  • UVA 32/35
  • SAT Range
  • UMass 1310/1500
  • UVA 1410/1540
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UMass Test optional
  • UVA Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UMass Jan 15, 2027
  • UVA

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UMass 17:1
  • UVA 15:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UMass
    • Business (15%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Communication (7%)
  • UVA
    • Social Sciences (23%)
    • Engineering (10%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Psychology (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UMass 67%
  • UVA 94%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UMass $55,200
  • UVA $77,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UMass 76%
  • UVA 86%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UMass $24,000
  • UVA $19,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UMass $248
  • UVA $201

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UMass 48%
  • UVA 45%
  • % Women
  • UMass 52%
  • UVA 55%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UMass Medium
  • UVA Medium
  • HBCU
  • UMass No
  • UVA No
  • % White
  • UMass 67%
  • UVA 60%
  • % Asian
  • UMass 9%
  • UVA 13%
  • % Black
  • UMass 4%
  • UVA 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • UMass 5%
  • UVA 6%
  • % Native American
  • UMass 0%
  • UVA 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UMass 0%
  • UVA 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UMass 3%
  • UVA 5%
  • % International
  • UMass 4%
  • UVA 5%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UMass 8%
  • UVA 6%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UMass 69%
  • UVA 66%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UMass 22%
  • UVA 29%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Massachusetts Amherst in Amherst, MA with University of Virginia Main Campus in Charlottesville, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Massachusetts Amherst is larger than UVA based on total student enrollment (31,726 students vs. 26,409 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is located in Amherst, MA (Town Fringe setting); University of Virginia Main Campus is in Charlottesville, VA (Small City setting).
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Virginia Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Massachusetts Amherst 17:1; University of Virginia Main Campus 15:1.

UMass vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMass or UVA? 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 University of Virginia Main Campus than UMass ($18,427 vs. $22,948).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Virginia Main Campus are 11.4% lower than at University of Massachusetts Amherst ($14,800 vs. $16,710).
  • University of Virginia Main Campus is 22.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than UMass (about $4,031 more per year; $21,803.00 vs. $17,772.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 47.1% higher at UVA than at University of Massachusetts Amherst (about $19,063 more per year; $59,512.00 vs. $40,449.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Massachusetts Amherst than at University of Virginia Main Campus (81% vs. 39%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Virginia Main Campus students is 119% larger than aid received by University of Massachusetts Amherst students ($28,715 vs. $13,110).

UMass vs. UVA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UMass or UVA? 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 UVA and UMass.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of Virginia Main Campus (1480) is 70 points higher than at UMass (1410).
  • Incoming UVA students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (33 vs. 31 at UMass).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Massachusetts Amherst 1310/1500; University of Virginia Main Campus 1410/1540.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Massachusetts Amherst 30/33; University of Virginia Main Campus 32/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UMass - Test optional; UVA - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UMass Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman UMass students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at UVA (3.85).
  • UMass has a higher acceptance rate (59.7%) than UVA (16.8%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.9% at UMass vs. 40% at UVA.

UMass vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UMass and UVA? 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).

  • University of Virginia Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (94%) is higher than University of Massachusetts Amherst's (67%).
  • Graduates from University of Virginia Main Campus earn a median of about $22,000 more per year than UMass graduates about ten years after starting college ($77,200 vs. $55,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Virginia Main Campus graduates have a $4,500 lower median loan debt than UMass graduates ($19,500 vs. $24,000).
  • Among borrowers, UVA graduates have an estimated $47 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UMass graduates ($201 vs. $248).
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMass students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 76%)

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.