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Roanoke College
Most applicants get into Roanoke College — 83.1% were admitted — so the real questions are cost, fit and outcomes, covered below.
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Roanoke College occupies suburban Salem, VA — a private campus quieter than a downtown one, closer to one than a rural seat. The school maintains its Evangelical Lutheran Church affiliation, which threads through campus life to a degree that varies by program.
Its highest-earning path is Communication and Media Studies, where graduates median $76,198 four years out. Faculty pay averages $90,636 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 1,767 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 75.7% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1090 and 1270 — above the VA middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Roanoke College's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
Scores help here but aren't the gate. If your SAT sits inside the 1090–1270 submitter range, sending it likely helps; below it, Roanoke College's own policy says you can leave it out.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 560 | 600 | 650 |
| SAT Math | 530 | 580 | 620 |
| ACT Composite | 22 | 26 | 30 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Roanoke College received 6,829 applications and admitted 5,468 (80.1%), with 531 enrolling.
How Roanoke College compares
| Roanoke College | Virginia median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 83.1% | 83.1% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $38,068 | $21,650 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $58,047 | $53,453 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median Roanoke College student earns $58,047 — 9% above the Virginia median of $53,453 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
Roanoke College lists tuition at $38,068 for everyone — private schools don't do residency pricing. Roanoke College's sticker and net price can differ sharply after aid; treat $38,068 as the ceiling, not the bill.
With 1,767 undergraduates, Roanoke College is small enough that class size and faculty access are structural, not marketing claims.
67.4% graduate within six years. Roughly 33% don't — ask a Roanoke College tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at Roanoke College
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Communication and Media Studies | $76,198 |
| Political Science and Government | $71,604 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $69,323 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $65,112 |
| Sociology | $59,580 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $58,040 |
| Biology, General | $55,246 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $54,957 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | $50,074 |
| Psychology, General | $49,018 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $43,974 |
| History | $41,210 |
Median earnings for these 12 Roanoke College programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $58,047 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 24 additional Roanoke College programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Roanoke College?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1090–1270 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 83.1% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Roanoke College's acceptance rate?
80.1% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 5,468 admitted from 6,829 applicants.
How much does Roanoke College cost?
At Roanoke College, published tuition is $38,068 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Roanoke College's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Roanoke College graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $58,047 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Virginia
- Shenandoah University — 77% admitted
- Sweet Briar College — 75.5% admitted
- Virginia Military Institute — 71.3% admitted
- University of Mary Washington — 79.8% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.