Johns Hopkins vs Virginia - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Johns Hopkins admits 6.4%, Virginia admits 16.8%.
The larger international cohort belongs to Johns Hopkins: 15.2% of students against 4.9% (Virginia).
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Johns Hopkins reports aid for international students ($16,051 on average), Virginia does not.
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Johns Hopkins starts at $89,539 against $80,859 and ends at $22,380 against $43,736 (Virginia).
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Johns Hopkins is the more selective of the two (6.44% vs 16.81% acceptance). Johns Hopkins ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#17 vs #201-300). Median earnings 10 years after enrollment are effectively tied ($88K vs $87K). Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($62,923 vs $67,170 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Johns Hopkins for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose Virginia for: a higher graduation rate, lower tuition, lower graduate debt.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Johns Hopkins is more selective (6.44% vs 16.81% acceptance); Johns Hopkins has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1470).
Johns Hopkins graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($88K vs $87K); Virginia has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.6% vs 93.8%).
Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($62,923 vs $67,170); Johns Hopkins offers a larger average aid package ($67,159 vs $37,123).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Johns Hopkins | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #17 | #201-300 |
| Rank · THE | #16 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 6.44% | 16.81% |
| Yield rate | 47% | 40% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.93 | - |
| Number of applications | 45,895 | 58,951 |
| International students | 15.2% | 4.9% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $88K | $87K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $65K | $59K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $135K | $130K |
| Graduation rate | 93.8% | 95.6% |
| Retention rate | 98.1% | 97.9% |
| Median debt | $10,250 | $17,500 |
| Tuition · year | $67,170 | $62,923 |
| Avg. aid package | $67,159 | $37,123 |
| % of need met | 99.5% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $30,803 | $25,137 |
| Application fee | $70 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 30,210 | 26,470 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Johns Hopkins or Virginia?
It's harder to get into Johns Hopkins. Johns Hopkins accepts 6.44% of applicants, while Virginia accepts 16.81%.
Do Johns Hopkins or Virginia graduates earn more?
Earnings are practically equal - 10 years after enrollment, the median is $88K at Johns Hopkins and $87K at Virginia.
How much is tuition at Johns Hopkins vs Virginia?
Sticker-price tuition is $67,170 per year at Johns Hopkins and $62,923 per year at Virginia.
What SAT score do you need for Johns Hopkins or Virginia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Johns Hopkins and 1470 at Virginia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Johns Hopkins or Virginia?
Johns Hopkins ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #17 for Johns Hopkins vs #201-300 for Virginia.
Which university offers more financial aid - Johns Hopkins or Virginia?
The average aid package is $67,159 at Johns Hopkins and $37,123 at Virginia.
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