Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Academics

Back to Profile

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
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.

Learn more about honors options on Virginia Tech's website.

Outcomes

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

Major Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
  • Animal Sciences, General 146
  • Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations 34
  • Horticultural Science 28
  • Food Science 23
  • Agronomy and Crop Science 14
  • Dairy Science 13
  • Agriculture, General 10
  • AGRICULTURAL / ANIMAL / PLANT / VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS 10
  • Agriculture, General 10
Architecture And Related Services
  • Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology 133
  • Landscape Architecture 18
  • Architecture 0
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 293
  • Neuroscience 219
  • Biochemistry 114
  • Microbiology, General 27
  • Computational Biology 7
Business
  • Management Science 541
  • Finance, General 329
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 279
  • Business Administration and Management, General 223
  • Accounting 128
  • Construction Management, General 94
  • Real Estate 87
  • Hospitality Administration/Management, General 42
  • Management Science 1
  • Finance, General 1
  • Business/Managerial Economics 0
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 249
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General 517
Education
  • Secondary Education and Teaching 7
Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering 351
  • Civil Engineering, General 215
  • Industrial Engineering 207
  • Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General 202
  • Computer Engineering, General 192
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 107
  • Chemical Engineering 78
  • Construction Engineering 69
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 67
  • Materials Engineering 37
  • Agricultural Engineering 31
  • Mining and Mineral Engineering 12
  • Mechanical Engineering 1
  • Engineering Mechanics 0
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Packaging Science 17
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 81
  • English Language and Literature, General 1
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
  • Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies, General 224
  • Human Development and Family Studies, General 172
  • Business Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences 61
Foreign Languages
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 60
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Public Health, General 105
History
  • History, General 39
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 72
  • Statistics, General 21
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Data Science, General 158
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Forestry, General 88
  • Wildlife, Fish and Wildlands Science and Management 71
  • Environmental Science 46
  • Forestry, Other 11
  • Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Other 6
  • Environmental Studies 0
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 56
  • Religion/Religious Studies, Other 13
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 58
  • Physics, General 50
  • Meteorology 39
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 21
  • Physical Sciences, Other 12
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 256
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Public Policy Analysis, General 48
Social Sciences
  • Political Science and Government, General 181
  • Sociology, General 163
  • International Relations and Affairs 116
  • Economics, General 91
  • Geography 33
  • Applied Economics 18
  • Sociology, General 2
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Art/Art Studies, General 60
  • Interior Design 38
  • Industrial and Product Design 36
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 24
  • Music, General 14
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 1
Mistakes were made
(But not by you!)

These are the top 10 mistakes people make when searching for colleges

Top Ten Mistakes

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.

© 2026 Whittier Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service