Virginia Tech vs NC State

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and North Carolina State University at Raleigh (NC State) are two highly regarded public research universities located in the vibrant states of Virginia and North Carolina, respectively. While they share similarities in their academic excellence and commitment to research, they also possess distinct characteristics that set them apart. This side-by-side comparison delves into the key differences between these two institutions, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Whether you're a prospective student seeking the ideal academic environment or a researcher seeking collaborative opportunities, this comprehensive analysis will guide you in making an informed decision.
North Carolina State University at Raleigh logo

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University logo

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Overview

Location Raleigh, North Carolina Blacksburg, Virginia
Campus setting City: Large City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 94.0% 92.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 47.5% 56.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $85

Graduate: $75
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $75
SAT range 1270 - 1440 1210 - 1410
ACT range 27 - 32 26 - 32
Students submitting SAT score 21.0% 83.0%
Students submitting ACT score 34.0% 35.0%
Total number of applicants 32,998 42,054
Total number of admissions given out 15,669 23,746
Admitted students who chose to enroll 5,046 6,758
Yield rate 32.2% 28.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $24,986

Out of state: $45,771
In state: $30,104

Out of state: $49,787
Average net price $14,328 $20,109
Tuition
In state: $6,535

Out of state: $27,320
In state: $11,750

Out of state: $30,829
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,768

Meal plan: $4,833
Room/dormitory: $5,890

Meal plan: $4,736
Available payment plans
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Other alternative tuition plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

62.0%
Average amount $9,318
58.0%
Average amount $8,018
Students receiving federal student loan 40.0%
Average amount $5,022
40.0%
Average amount $5,316
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $14,600
9.0%
Average amount $20,728

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 26,505
Men 50.9% Women 49.1%
29,760
Men 57.3% Women 42.7%
Graduate students 10,326
Men 49.8% Women 50.2%
7,519
Men 56.5% Women 43.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students 12.9% 39.5%
International students 9.5% 9.9%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Small
Dormitory capacity 10,024 9,471
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from North Carolina Virginia New York New Jersey Maryland Virginia Maryland New Jersey North Carolina Pennsylvania

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Agriculture
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 14:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 84.4% 86.6%
Dropout rate 5.0% 12.3%
Transferred out 9.6% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Software and Media Applications (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $99,745
  • Year 2: $103,078
  • Year 3: $122,470
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $94,886
  • Year 2: $97,071
  • Year 3: $113,307
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $90,892
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $92,582
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $90,869
  • Year 2: $74,200
  • Year 3: $88,476
Veterinary Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,974
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $88,260
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,860
  • Year 2: $81,702
  • Year 3: $86,459
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,857
  • Year 2: $70,710
  • Year 3: $83,417
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,627
  • Year 2: $70,057
  • Year 3: $83,342
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,222
  • Year 2: $69,757
  • Year 3: $81,552
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,081
  • Year 2: $70,253
  • Year 3: $80,463
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,287
  • Year 2: $113,246
  • Year 3: $125,427
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $97,383
  • Year 2: $96,691
  • Year 3: $106,931
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $82,448
  • Year 2: $88,678
  • Year 3: $96,747
Veterinary Medicine (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,172
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $93,580
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $75,104
  • Year 2: $78,488
  • Year 3: $90,164
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,370
  • Year 2: $75,518
  • Year 3: $87,658
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,573
  • Year 2: $91,211
  • Year 3: $84,990
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,460
  • Year 2: $73,635
  • Year 3: $83,712
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,805
  • Year 2: $73,272
  • Year 3: $82,738
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,610
  • Year 2: $70,680
  • Year 3: $81,822

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
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