Virginia Tech vs. RU vs. UVA

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

 Virginia Tech RU UVA
Location Blacksburg, VA Radford, VA Charlottesville, VA
Setting Small City Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 38,294 7,531 25,924
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #145 #449 #63
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website vt.edu radford.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 Virginia Tech RU UVA
Tuition (In State) $12,698 $8,401 $17,490
Tuition (Out of State) $33,310 $20,853 $53,836
Room & Board $14,888 $11,973 $13,940
Avg Net Price $22,205 $18,282 $17,831
Avg Grant Aid $8,542 $8,968 $29,675
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 99% 28%

Admission

 Virginia Tech RU UVA
Applied 47,208 11,072 56,528
Admitted 26,923 10,036 9,533
Acceptance Rate 57% 90.6% 16.9%
Enrolled % 26.7% 11% 41.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.31 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Easy Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 27/32 19/26 32/34
SAT Range 1240/1420 950/1170 1410/1530
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Virginia Tech RU UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 Virginia Tech RU UVA
Graduation Rate 82% 56% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,000 $47,400 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 70% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,966 $23,000 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $247 $237 $201

Diversity

 Virginia Tech RU UVA
% Men 11% 5% 15%
% Women 9% 19% 17%
Racial Diversity Medium Low Medium
HBCU No No No
% White 68% 71% 60%
% Black 4% 13% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5% 5%
% International 6% 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 1% 6%

Students

 Virginia Tech RU UVA
% In-State 61% 88% 65%
% Out-of-State 33% 11% 29%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Tech is larger than than RU based on total student enrollment (38,294 students vs. 7,531 students)

Virginia Tech vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Virginia Tech or RU?

  • Virginia Tech is 51.1% more expensive to attend than RU for in-state tuition ($12,698.00 vs. $8,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 59.7% higher at Virginia Tech than Radford University ($33,310.00 vs. $20,853.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Radford University than Virginia Tech ($18,282 vs. $22,205)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Radford University are 24.3% lower than costs at Virginia Tech ($11,973 vs. $14,888)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Radford University than Virginia Tech (99% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Radford University students is 5% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($8,968 vs. $8,542)

Virginia Tech vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Virginia Tech students have a 0.66 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at RU (3.31)
  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (90.6%) than Virginia Tech (57%)

Virginia Tech vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Virginia Tech is higher than Radford University (82% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Tech earn on average $17,600 more per year than RU graduates after ten years. ($65,000 vs. $47,400)
  • Radford University students graduate with a $966 lower median federal student loan debt than Virginia Tech graduates. ($23,000 vs. $23,966)
  • RU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Virginia Tech graduates. ($237 vs. $247)
  • More Virginia Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RU students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 70%)

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