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Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is a public university in a small city in the Blacksburg, VA metro with 30,504 students and a 55% acceptance rate.

Blacksburg, Virginia · Public · City, small · 30,504 students · R1 research university

NCAA Division I · ACCEarly action Nov 15

Admission rate

55%

of applicants admitted

SAT average

1,364

combined, admitted students

ACT, middle half

27–32

25th to 75th percentile

Average net price

$24,953

per year, after grants

Graduation rate

86%

within 6 years

Freshman retention

92%

return for sophomore year

Median earnings

$81,698

10 years after entry

Students

30,504

total enrollment

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS) · data snapshot October 2, 2026 · Updated October 2, 2026

First-year deadlines, 2026–27

PlanEntry termDeadline
Early action
Apply early, hear early, not binding.		November 15, 2026
Regular decision
The standard deadline, with answers in spring. Not binding.		January 15, 2027
Rolling admission
The college reviews applications as they arrive until the class is full.		FallMarch 1, 2027

Plans are listed in calendar order. What the plans mean

Source: vt.edu · checked September 19, 2026

What families actually pay

Average yearly net price after grants, in-state students, by family income

$0–30,000$11,689
$30,001–48,000$11,670
$48,001–75,000$17,894
$75,001–110,000$25,835
Over $110,000$34,201

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, College Scorecard · data snapshot October 2, 2026

AP credit

Most-taken exams, lowest score that earns credit
ExamMin scoreVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University courseCredits
Calculus AB3MATH MATH 1025 1026 ELEM CALCULUS ELEM CALCULUS3 3
Calculus BC3MATH MATH 1225 1026 CALCULUS 1 VARIABLE ELEM CALCULUS4 3
Biology3BIOL 1014 INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGY3 credits
Chemistry3
CHEM CHEM CHEM CHEM 1015 1016 1025 1026…CHEM CHEM CHEM CHEM 1015 1016 1025 1026 INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY LAB INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY LAB
3 3 1 1
Psychology3PSYC 1XXX PSYCHOLOGY ELECTIVE3 credits
Statistics3STAT 2004 INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS3 credits
Computer Science A3CS 1114 INTRODUCTION TO SOFTWARE DESIGN3 credits
Macroeconomics3ECON 1XXX ECON ELECTIVE3 credits
Show all 27 exams and every score level
ExamMin scoreCourseCredits
Calculus AB3MATH MATH 1025 1026 ELEM CALCULUS ELEM CALCULUS3 3
Calculus AB4MATH MATH 1225 1026 CALCULUS 1 VARIABLE ELEM CALCULUS4 3
Calculus BC3MATH MATH 1225 1026 CALCULUS 1 VARIABLE ELEM CALCULUS4 3
Calculus BC4MATH MATH 1225 1226 CALCULUS 1 VARIABLE CALCULUS 1 VARIABLE4 4
Biology3BIOL 1014 INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGY3 credits
Biology4
BIOL BIOL BIOL BIOL 1105 1106 1115 1116…BIOL BIOL BIOL BIOL 1105 1106 1115 1116 PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY-LAB PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY-LAB
3 3 1 1
Chemistry3
CHEM CHEM CHEM CHEM 1015 1016 1025 1026…CHEM CHEM CHEM CHEM 1015 1016 1025 1026 INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY LAB INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY LAB
3 3 1 1
Chemistry4
CHEM CHEM CHEM CHEM 1035 1045 1036 1046 GENERAL…CHEM CHEM CHEM CHEM 1035 1045 1036 1046 GENERAL CHEMISTRY GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB GENERAL CHEMISTRY GENERAL CHEMISTRY-LAB
3 1 3 1
Psychology3PSYC 1XXX PSYCHOLOGY ELECTIVE3 credits
Psychology4PSYC 1004 INTRO PSYCHOLOGY3 credits
Statistics3STAT 2004 INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS3 credits
Statistics5STAT 3604 STATISTICS FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES3 credits
Computer Science A3CS 1114 INTRODUCTION TO SOFTWARE DESIGN3 credits
Macroeconomics3ECON 1XXX ECON ELECTIVE3 credits
Macroeconomics4ECON 2006 PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS3 credits
Microeconomics3ECON 1XXX ECON ELECTIVE3 credits
Microeconomics4ECON 2005 PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS3 credits
World History: Modern3HIST 1215 INTRO TO WORLD HISTORY3 credits
World History: Modern4
HIST HIST 1215 1216 INTRO TO WORLD HISTORY INTRO…HIST HIST 1215 1216 INTRO TO WORLD HISTORY INTRO TO WORLD HISTORY
3 3
Environmental Science3ENSC 1015 FOUNDATIONS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE3 credits
Environmental Science4
ENSC ENSC 1015 1016 FOUNDATIONS ENVIRONMENTAL…ENSC ENSC 1015 1016 FOUNDATIONS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE FOUNDATIONS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
3 3
European History3HIST 1025 INTRODUCTION TO EUROPEAN HISTORY3 credits
European History4
HIST HIST 1025 1026 INTRODUCTION TO EUROPEAN…HIST HIST 1025 1026 INTRODUCTION TO EUROPEAN HISTORY INTRODUCTION TO EUROPEAN HISTORY
3 3
Human Geography3GEOG 1004 INTRO HUMAN GEOGRAPHY3 credits
Art History3ART 2385 SURVEY OF THE HISTORY OF WESTERN ART3 credits
Art History4
ART ART 2385 2386 SURVEY OF THE HIST OF WEST ART…ART ART 2385 2386 SURVEY OF THE HIST OF WEST ART SURVEY OF THE HIST OF WEST ART
3 3
Music Theory3MUS 2025 EUROPEAN-AMERICAN MUSIC THEORY3 credits
Music Theory4
MUS MUS 2025 2026 EUROPEAN-AMERICAN MUSIC THEORY…MUS MUS 2025 2026 EUROPEAN-AMERICAN MUSIC THEORY EUROPEAN-AMERICAN MUSIC THEORY
3 3
ART – DRAWING3ART 1404 DRAWING I3 credits
African American Studies3AFST 2XXX AFRICANA STUDIES ELECTIVE3 credits
Latin3LAT 2XXX LATIN ELECTIVE3 credits
PHYSICS 1: Algebra-Based3PHYS PHYS 2205 2215 GENERAL PHYSICS GENERAL PHYSICS-LAB3 1
PHYSICS 2: Algebra-Based3PHYS PHYS 2206 2216 GENERAL PHYSICS GENERAL PHYSICS-LAB3 1
Precalculus3MATH 1014 PRECALCULUS WITH TRANSCENDENTAL FUNCTIONS3 credits
Research3VT 1XXX ELECTIVE CREDIT3 credits
STUDIO ART: 2-D DESIGN3ART 2XXX ART ELECTIVE3 credits
STUDIO ART: 3-D DESIGN3ART 1XXX ART ELECTIVE3 credits
Seminar3VT 1XXX ELECTIVE CREDIT3 credits
U.S. GOVERNMENT and POLITICS3PSCI 1014 INTRO AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS3 credits
U.S. GOVERNMENT and POLITICS4PSCI 1014 INTRO AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS3 credits
U.S. HISTORY3HIST 1115 HISTORY OF THE US3 credits
U.S. HISTORY4HIST HIST 1115 1116 HISTORY OF THE US HISTORY OF THE US3 3

Source: registrar.vt.edu · checked September 19, 2026

Biggest majors

MajorGraduates
Management Science541
Computer and Information Sciences517
Mechanical Engineering351
Finance329
Biology/Biological Sciences293
Marketing/Marketing Management279
Psychology256
Speech Communication and Rhetoric249
Show the other 65 majors
Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies224
Business Administration and Management223
Neuroscience219
Civil Engineering215
Industrial Engineering207
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering202
Computer Engineering192
Political Science and Government181
Human Development and Family Studies172
Sociology163
Data Science158
Animal Sciences146
Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology133
Accounting128
International Relations and Affairs116
Biochemistry114
Electrical and Electronics Engineering107
Public Health105
Construction Management94
Economics91
Forestry88
Real Estate87
English Language and Literature81
Chemical Engineering78
Mathematics72
Wildlife, Fish and Wildlands Science and Management71
Construction Engineering69
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering67
Business Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences61
Foreign Languages and Literatures60
Art/Art Studies60
Chemistry58
Philosophy56
Physics50
Public Policy Analysis48
Environmental Science46
Hospitality Administration/Management42
History39
Meteorology39
Interior Design38
Materials Engineering37
Industrial and Product Design36
Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations34
Geography33
Agricultural Engineering31
Horticultural Science28
Microbiology27
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts24
Food Science23
Geology/Earth Science21
Statistics21
Landscape Architecture18
Applied Economics18
Packaging Science17
Agronomy and Crop Science14
Music14
Religion/Religious Studies, Other13
Dairy Science13
Physical Sciences, Other12
Mining and Mineral Engineering12
Forestry, Other11
Agriculture10
Secondary Education and Teaching7
Computational Biology7
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Other6

Bachelor’s graduates, first major, most recent year · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS · data snapshot October 2, 2026

Ranked programs

Where Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ranks in the top 25 on our top-programs lists, best rank first. How we rank programs

Scholarships

Amounts and eligibility change; check the college’s page for current details.

Sports and campus life

Men’s varsity · NCAA Division I, ACC

Baseball, Basketball, Football, Golf, Soccer, Swimming and Diving (combined), Tennis, Track and Field and Cross Country (combined), Wrestling

Women’s varsity · NCAA Division I, ACC

Basketball, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming and Diving (combined), Tennis, Track and Field and Cross Country (combined), Volleyball

ROTC

Army, Navy

Faith groups

BYX, Cru, Hillel, InterVarsity, Newman Connection, Sigma Alpha Omega

Also

Honors college, Study abroad

Sources: U.S. Dept. of Education athletics data (EADA), hillel.org · checked September 4, 2026 · data snapshot October 2, 2026

The place

Setting

City, small

Federal locale classification

Metro area

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

182,041 people

Big-city metro (1 million+)

No

More about the place

Nearest airport

Roanoke/Blacksburg Regional (Woodrum Field) (ROA)

Nearest hub airport

Raleigh-Durham International (RDU)

Walkability

EPA walkability index 12.8 of 20

Elevation

2,067 ft

Time zone

Eastern

January low

22°F

July high

82°F

Annual snowfall

24.7 in

Days at 90°F or higher

5 per year

One-bedroom fair market rent

$1,150 per month

Sources: U.S. Dept. of Education (IPEDS locale), U.S. Census metro estimates, NOAA climate normals, HUD fair market rents, EPA walkability · data snapshot October 2, 2026

Colleges nearby

Straight-line distance between campuses

Similar colleges

Public, city campus, NCAA Division I, similar size