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Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University admits a bit under 60% of applicants; strong grades put you in the conversation at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and the data below says what "strong" means.
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Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University sits in Blacksburg proper — a public campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. It carries a land-grant charter — the 1862 mandate that ties it to agricultural and practical education.
Its highest-earning path is Computer and Information Sciences, General, where graduates median $144,103 four years out. 15.3% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 30,923 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 93.1% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1240 and 1420 — above the VA middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University received 47,208 applications and admitted 26,923 (57%), with 7,196 enrolling.
Scores help here but aren't the gate. If your SAT sits inside the 1240–1420 submitter range, sending it likely helps; below it, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's own policy says you can leave it out.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 620 | 660 | 700 |
| SAT Math | 620 | 670 | 720 |
| ACT Composite | 27 | 30 | 32 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
How Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University compares
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Virginia median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 54.8% | 83.1% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $15,948 | $21,650 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $81,698 | $53,453 | $53,781 |
Earnings data favors Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University: $81,698 median at year ten, versus $53,453 across Virginia institutions.
Cost, size & completion
In-state students pay $15,948 in tuition; crossing a state border raises that to $37,764. For non-residents, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's $37,764 is the number to weigh against private options before assuming public means cheaper.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is a big school: 30,923 undergraduates at last count.
86.2% of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University students finish a bachelor's within six years — 31.4 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $15,948 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $144,103 |
| Computer Engineering | $122,026 |
| Applied Mathematics | $117,990 |
| Industrial Engineering | $116,641 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $108,726 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | $106,633 |
| Chemical Engineering | $106,011 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $104,839 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $102,902 |
| Construction Engineering | $102,699 |
| Engineering Mechanics | $101,509 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $99,528 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $96,376 |
| Real Estate | $95,576 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | $95,271 |
| Construction Management | $95,165 |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering | $94,397 |
| Statistics | $94,300 |
| Physics | $92,746 |
| Economics | $92,653 |
| Materials Engineering | $90,828 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $88,315 |
| Civil Engineering | $88,142 |
| Marketing | $86,338 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | $81,618 |
| Food Science and Technology | $80,161 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $80,023 |
| Political Science and Government | $75,687 |
| Architecture | $75,074 |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | $74,005 |
| Chemistry | $73,395 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | $72,817 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $72,213 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $71,988 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $68,263 |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | $67,892 |
| Mathematics | $67,763 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $67,621 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $67,253 |
| Public Policy Analysis | $66,177 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $66,106 |
| Geography and Cartography | $65,259 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services | $65,248 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $64,225 |
| Forestry | $64,204 |
| Sociology | $63,654 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $62,398 |
| Biology, General | $61,703 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $59,969 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $59,868 |
| History | $59,819 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $59,714 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $58,652 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $58,340 |
| Plant Sciences | $56,630 |
| Psychology, General | $56,365 |
| Agriculture, General | $53,568 |
| Music | $48,028 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | $47,496 |
| Animal Sciences | $47,224 |
Median earnings for these 60 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $81,698 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 12 additional Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1240–1420 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 54.8% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's acceptance rate?
57% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 26,923 admitted from 47,208 applicants.
How much does Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University cost?
In-state tuition is $15,948; out-of-state students pay $37,764. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $81,698 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Virginia
- University of Lynchburg — 43% admitted
- Hampden-Sydney College — 40.9% admitted
- Regent University — 38.1% admitted
- Bluefield University — 59.3% 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.