Public · Mostly bachelor's degrees · Small city

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, Virginia. 30,923 undergraduates. Admits 55% of applicants.

Virginia colleges Official websiteIts net price calculator
86%Graduation rate31 pts above the national median for similar colleges (54%)
$25,808Average net price per year30% above the national median for similar colleges ($19,899)
$88,716Median earnings 10 years after starting51% above the national median for similar colleges ($58,912)
$20,500Median debt at graduation5% below the national median for similar colleges ($21,609)
Our read

Graduates' median debt ($20,500) equals 23% of former students' median earnings ten years after starting ($88,716). That is a light load relative to pay.

What families actually pay

Under $30,000$11,378
$30,000–$48,000$9,464
$48,001–$75,000$15,085
$75,001–$110,000$22,747
Over $110,000$35,800

Average yearly net price for first-time, full-time students who received federal aid, by family income. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships. Source: College Scorecard.

Compare net price across collegesPublished tuition and fees: $16,450 in-state, $38,914 out-of-state.

Do students finish, and what do they earn?

MeasureThis collegeSimilar colleges nationally
Graduation rate86%54%
Return for second year93%76%
Median earnings, 6 years after starting$71,869$49,318
Median earnings, 10 years after starting$88,716$58,912
Median debt at graduation$20,500$21,609

Graduation rate within 150% of normal time; retention is the share of first-year students who return. Earnings are medians for former students who received federal aid, working and not enrolled. National comparison is the median for colleges of the same type (mostly bachelor's degrees).

Programs and what graduates earn

237 programs reported
ProgramGraduates / yrMedian earnings, 1 yrMedian earnings, 5 yrsMedian debt
Computer and Information Sciences, General517$98,085$154,821$19,241
Computer Engineering192$90,545$135,981$21,500
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods542$82,823$119,730$20,000
Applied Mathematics—$83,020$117,531—
Industrial Engineering207$81,066$114,212$20,500
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering107$82,059$108,844$22,500
Construction Engineering69$78,168$108,795$24,750
Construction Management94$77,148$108,145$22,500
Finance and Financial Management Services330$71,665$106,877$20,500
Chemical Engineering78$78,879$106,632$26,500
Accounting and Related Services128$74,516$103,893$21,000
Mechanical Engineering352$77,490$101,631$21,500
Engineering Mechanics0$75,603$101,292—
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering202$81,370$100,630$22,500
Real Estate87$68,467$100,157$20,500
Mining and Mineral Engineering12$75,078$99,390$27,187
Physics50$68,081$94,142$22,192
Materials Engineering37$78,513$92,569$21,271
Agricultural Engineering31$73,824$92,344$27,000
Civil Engineering215$76,438$92,241$22,875
Marketing279$59,926$91,443$19,500
Business Administration, Management and Operations223$61,883$89,298$21,500
Statistics21$79,570$88,971—
Data Science158$87,322—$20,485
Mathematics72$67,231$86,592$19,187
Food Science and Technology23$48,488$85,763—
International Relations and National Security Studies116$49,579$82,747$20,500
Economics109$59,662$82,116$20,500
Engineering-Related Fields17$68,675$80,809—
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services61$53,673$80,808$20,500
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology27$44,523$80,365$19,500
Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering—$80,106—$27,500
Design and Applied Arts74$58,660$79,888$23,000
Agricultural Business and Management34$47,329$78,980$20,190
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services60$44,759$78,282$20,500
Architecture0—$77,819—
Political Science and Government181$44,976$77,494$20,500
Chemistry58$49,342$76,915$26,000
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology114$42,750$76,787$20,500
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services224$30,289$74,854$21,500
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology39$45,862$73,983$21,500
Communication and Media Studies249$48,643$69,427$20,415
English Language and Literature, General82$38,866$68,057$18,500
Biology, General293$38,872$67,385$21,000
Hospitality Administration/Management42$59,633$66,903$22,375
Geography and Cartography33$45,252$64,794$25,594
Fine and Studio Arts60$42,499$64,675$22,000
Natural Resources Conservation and Research46$49,776$64,187$25,250
Sociology165$42,067$63,678$21,500
Forestry99$47,556$63,583$20,500
Neurobiology and Neurosciences219$37,916$63,243$19,000
Architectural Sciences and Technology133$62,547—$30,710
Psychology, General256$38,457$62,350$20,500
History39$36,534$62,039$24,250
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft25—$60,956$20,707
Plant Sciences42$43,317$60,787$19,750
Agriculture, General10—$60,340—
Animal Sciences159$34,859$59,585$20,500
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services172$37,621$58,339$19,750
Public Policy Analysis48$46,119$55,393$21,500
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences21$45,793$54,946$26,084
Physical Sciences, Other12$53,114——
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management71$32,295$52,657$18,545
Public Health105$46,449—$22,531
Music14—$41,673$26,609
Philosophy56$37,416—$21,500
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy6———
Landscape Architecture18——$20,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods7———
Biomedical/Medical Engineering67——$20,500
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology7———
Religion/Religious Studies13———

Program-level medians for graduates who received federal aid. A dash means the Department of Education suppressed the figure to protect privacy, usually because the program is small. At four-year colleges, certificate graduates often earned a bachelor's at the same time, so their earnings can reflect the degree. Source: College Scorecard, field of study data.

Getting in

55%Admission rate
1,364Average SAT of admitted students
28–32ACT middle 50%
17:1Students per faculty member
17%Undergraduates with a Pell Grant

Similar colleges in Virginia

Washington and Lee UniversityLexington · net price $25,279 · grad rate 96%James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg · net price $23,550 · grad rate 80%Roanoke CollegeSalem · net price $25,867 · grad rate 64%Randolph-Macon CollegeAshland · net price $28,145 · grad rate 74%Hampton UniversityHampton · net price $26,214 · grad rate 64%Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond · net price $25,037 · grad rate 65%

Compare colleges side by side

Quick answers

How much does Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University cost per year?
The average net price at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, what students pay after grants and scholarships, is $25,808 per year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much do Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University graduates earn?
Former Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University students earn a median of $88,716 a year ten years after starting college. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
What is the graduation rate at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University?
86% of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University students graduate within 150% of normal time. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much student debt do Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University graduates have?
The median federal student debt at graduation from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is $20,500. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.