Blacksburg, VA · Public · 30,923 undergraduates · urban
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Moderately selective
Virginia Tech combines a common first-year engineering pathway with a residential Corps of Cadets occupying its own campus district.
Institutional profile
Highly regarded Exceptional in career outcomes, and solid in academic standing.- Admission
- 57% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 87.2%
47,208 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$81,698 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Virginia Tech apart
Academic design
Most first-year engineering students begin in General Engineering and move into a specific degree program after completing required first-year coursework.
Campus pattern
Corps of Cadets students live together on Upper Quad in dedicated residence halls and follow a structured leadership and military-training environment.
A signature opportunity
General Engineering followed by major declaration.
Can I get in?
57% admitted
Most engineering applicants enter General Engineering rather than a specific engineering degree; Building Construction follows a separate direct-entry structure.
Recent applicant pool
47,208About 57 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 43% submitted an SAT, and 7% submitted an ACT. Treat the ACT range as a guide to the students who submitted that test, not to everyone admitted.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Virginia Tech, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Virginia Tech weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Most first-year engineering students begin in General Engineering and move into a specific degree program after completing required first-year coursework.
Make institutional fit specific
Virginia Tech combines a common first-year engineering pathway with a residential Corps of Cadets occupying its own campus district.
Use the application route carefully
Most engineering applicants enter General Engineering rather than a specific engineering degree; Building Construction follows a separate direct-entry structure.
Give commitments a clear through-line
Activities and recommendations should show sustained contribution, not a collection of disconnected credentials.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Most engineering applicants enter General Engineering rather than a specific engineering degree; Building Construction follows a separate direct-entry structure.
$60 application fee
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
ArchitectureAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
BusinessAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Computer scienceAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
EngineeringAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Hospitality and hotel managementAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
College funding
Scholarships and financial aid
Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University publishes three merit awards, the largest reaching $5,000 to $10,000 a year. No separate scholarship application is required; the college uses the admission application. two renew past the first year.
Through the honors college · Merit · Competitive · Renews · Has a dated deadline
Through the honors college · Merit · Competitive · First year only · Has a dated deadline
Open across the university · Merit and financial need · Competitive · Renews
In the season card
These three awards, by name
What each one is called, what it pays, what it asks of you, and the dates two of them close - which is usually earlier than the application for admission.
- The name of each award
- What it pays
- The grades and scores it asks for
- The deadline
- What to send, and where
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Virginia Tech
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Admits separately
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
Admits separately
Finance and Financial Management Services
Admits separately
Mechanical Engineering
Admits separately
Biology, General
What is campus life like?
Virginia Tech beyond the classroom
Corps of Cadets students live together on Upper Quad in dedicated residence halls and follow a structured leadership and military-training environment.
A defining academic feature
Most first-year engineering students begin in General Engineering and move into a specific degree program after completing required first-year coursework.
Read the residential pattern
Compare the residential setup and surrounding area with the day-to-day routine you want.
Daily life follows the campus map
Dining and nearby options matter most when they support the academic, residential, and social routine you expect.
What shapes an ordinary week
Corps of Cadets students live together on Upper Quad in dedicated residence halls and follow a structured leadership and military-training environment.
Turn a direction into participation
The strongest opportunities connect a clear academic or personal direction to real work beyond class.
Find the right everyday fit
Corps of Cadets students live together on Upper Quad in dedicated residence halls and follow a structured leadership and military-training environment.