Yale vs Virginia - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Yale admits 4.7% of applicants, while Virginia admits 16.8%.
The larger international cohort belongs to Yale: 10.6% of students against 4.9% (Virginia).
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Yale reports aid for international students ($84,185 on average), Virginia does not.
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Yale starts at $98,900 against $80,859 and ends at $24,547 against $43,736 (Virginia).
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
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
Yale is the more selective of the two (4.7% vs 16.81% acceptance). Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#11 vs #201-300). Yale graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($101K vs $87K). Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($62,923 vs $72,500 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 Yale for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose Virginia for: lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Yale is more selective (4.7% vs 16.81% acceptance); Yale has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1470).
Yale graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($101K vs $87K); Yale has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.7% vs 95.6%).
Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($62,923 vs $72,500); Yale offers a larger average aid package ($74,353 vs $37,123).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Yale | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #11 | #201-300 |
| Rank · THE | #10 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 4.7% | 16.81% |
| Yield rate | 68.4% | 40% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 50,264 | 58,951 |
| International students | 10.6% | 4.9% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $101K | $87K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $66K | $59K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $194K | $130K |
| Graduation rate | 95.7% | 95.6% |
| Retention rate | 99.4% | 97.9% |
| Median debt | $12,975 | $17,500 |
| Tuition · year | $72,500 | $62,923 |
| Avg. aid package | $74,353 | $37,123 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $22,185 | $25,137 |
| Application fee | $80 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 15,657 | 26,470 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Yale or Virginia?
It's harder to get into Yale. Yale accepts 4.7% of applicants, while Virginia accepts 16.81%.
Do Yale or Virginia graduates earn more?
Yale graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $101K vs $87K.
How much is tuition at Yale vs Virginia?
Sticker-price tuition is $72,500 per year at Yale and $62,923 per year at Virginia.
What SAT score do you need for Yale or Virginia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Yale and 1470 at Virginia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Yale or Virginia?
Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #11 for Yale vs #201-300 for Virginia.
Which university offers more financial aid - Yale or Virginia?
The average aid package is $74,353 at Yale and $37,123 at Virginia.
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