Head to head · Virginia
Which of these costs less depends on what you earn. At $75–110k and below, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is the cheaper of the two; from over $110k up, Liberty University is. Sticker price shows none of this.
| Household income | Liberty University | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $30k | $30,667 | $11,689 | $18,978 |
| $30–48k | $27,807 | $11,670 | $16,137 |
| $48–75k | $27,347 | $17,894 | $9,453 |
| $75–110k | $27,142 | $25,835 | $1,307 |
| Over $110k | $30,545 | $34,201 | $3,656 |
Green marks the cheaper of the two at that income. "Net price" is what families actually paid after grants and scholarships, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education — not a calculator's estimate. Public-school figures reflect in-state families; out-of-state families typically pay more.
Should your student retake the SAT? The honest math →
Think you make too much for aid? The real income cutoffs, measured →
Each year's reported net price grown 3.5% — the same method College Compass uses inside a family's plan.
Listed Liberty University first, then Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Acceptance rate is the school's overall published figure — your student's own odds depend on their transcript, scores, and high school.
Again Liberty University first. The four-year graduation rate matters more than it looks: a fifth year is a fifth year of paying.
These are averages. Your family isn't average.
Run both against your student's real GPA, your income band, and your actual high school — odds with the math shown, and what four years would really cost you, side by side. First three schools free.
Liberty University — every income band · Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University — every income band · All Virginia public colleges