How strong are the academics at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University?
Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.
17:1
Student to faculty ratio
37
Average class size
69%
4-year grad rate
Class Sizes
Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.
Virginia Tech has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 17:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.
Class Sizes
Most Common
10-19
2-9
333
10-19
742
20-29
628
30-39
452
40-49
415
50-99
492
100+
196
Honors Programs
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.
It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University:
93%
First-year retention rate
69%
4-year grad rate
86%
6-year grad rate
Majors
Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:
Management Science
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Mechanical Engineering
Finance, General
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
243.4
302.92
362.44
421.96
481.48
541
The Full List
MajorGraduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
Animal Sciences, General146
Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations34
Horticultural Science28
Food Science23
Agronomy and Crop Science14
Dairy Science13
Agriculture, General10
AGRICULTURAL / ANIMAL / PLANT / VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS10
Agriculture, General10
Architecture And Related Services
Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology133
Landscape Architecture18
Architecture0
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
Biology/Biological Sciences, General293
Neuroscience219
Biochemistry114
Microbiology, General27
Computational Biology7
Business
Management Science541
Finance, General329
Marketing/Marketing Management, General279
Business Administration and Management, General223
Accounting128
Construction Management, General94
Real Estate87
Hospitality Administration/Management, General42
Management Science1
Finance, General1
Business/Managerial Economics0
Communication
Speech Communication and Rhetoric249
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
Computer and Information Sciences, General517
Education
Secondary Education and Teaching7
Engineering
Mechanical Engineering351
Civil Engineering, General215
Industrial Engineering207
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General202
CollegeIQ® relies on data from government and private resources. Always confer with the individual college or university for the most recent data. Learn more about our data and methodology.