Full Comparison
Example comparisonShowing UVA, Ohio State, Alabama — ordered by admit rate, most selective first.
A few cells are marked Highest here or Lowest here— the figures where one school sits well apart from the others you picked, and from the catalogue as a whole. It’s a place to start looking, not a score: whether high or low is the good news depends on what you want.
| Metric |
|---|
| Metric | UVA | Ohio State | Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peer Group | |||
| Region | Mid-Atlantic | Midwest | The South |
| Conference | ACC | Big Ten | SEC |
| Public Flagship | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Degree Focus | Humanities & Social Sciences | Health & Life Sciences | Business |
| Admissions | |||
| Overall Admit Rate | 15.6% | 49.2% | 71.2% |
| ED Admit Rate | 27.7% | No ED plan | No ED plan |
| Test Policy | Test Optional | Test Required | Test Optional |
| SAT Range (mid 50%) | 1410–1510 | 1300–1440 | 1100–1360 |
| ACT Range (mid 50%) | 32–34 | 27–32 | 22–31 |
| Academics | |||
| 4-yr Graduation Rate | 90.8%Entered fall 2019 | 71.2%Entered fall 2019 | 58.1%Entered fall 2019 |
| 6-yr Graduation Rate | 94.4%Entered fall 2019 | 86.6%Entered fall 2019 | 73.7%Entered fall 2019 |
| Return for sophomore year | 97% | 93.5% | 88% |
| Student:Faculty | 14:1 | 13:1 | 19:1 |
| Classes Under 20 Students | 44.1% | 39.4% | 40.1% |
| Enrollment | |||
| Total Undergrad | 17,848 | 46,627 | 35,621 |
| Freshman Class Size | 3,978 | 8,248 | 8,127 |
| In-State | 63.6% | 68% | Not reported |
| Out-of-State | 30.8% | 25.5% | Not reported |
| International | 5.6% | 6.5% | Not reported |
| Live On Campus | 40.6% | 33% | 26.4% |
| Finances | |||
| Sticker Price, In-State (Tuition + Fees) | $23,254 | $13,641 | $12,484 |
| Sticker Price, Out-of-State | $62,980Highest here | $42,423 | $35,342 |
| Net Price (< $30k income) | $8,174/yr | $4,885/yr | $19,169/yr |
| Net Price ($48k–$75k) | $13,283/yr | $9,807/yr | $22,258/yr |
| % With Need-Based Grants | 30% | 34.4% | 33.6% |
| Avg Aid Package | $40,170 | $20,866 | $18,351 |
| % of Need Met | 100%Highest here | 72% | 57.1% |
| Avg Debt at Graduation | $28,111 | $26,869 | $39,767 |
| Student Body Demographics | |||
| White | 47.7% | 58% | 68.9% |
| Asian | 19.9% | 11.6% | 1.5% |
| Hispanic | 8.5% | 6.3% | 7.8% |
| Black | 7.5% | 8.5% | 12.9% |
| Multiracial | 5.9% | 5.1% | 3.8% |
| Unknown / Other | 5.2% | 3.3% | 3.5% |
| What They Value in Admissions (CDS Section C7) | |||
| Rigor of Coursework | Very Important | Very Important | Very Important |
| Class Rank | Very Important | Very Important | Considered |
| GPA | Very Important | Very Important | Very Important |
| Test Scores | Considered | Very Important | Very Important |
| Essays | Important | Important | Considered |
| Recommendations | Important | Important | Considered |
| Extracurriculars | Important | Important | Important |
| Talent / Ability | Important | Important | Considered |
| Character / Personality | Very Important | Considered | Considered |
| First Generation | Considered | Important | Considered |
| Legacy (Alumni) | Not Considered | Not Considered | Considered |
| Geographic Residence | Considered | Considered | Considered |
| State Residency | Very Important | Considered | Considered |
| Religious Affiliation | Not Considered | Not Considered | Not Considered |
| Interview | Not Considered | Not Considered | Considered |
| Volunteer Work | Considered | Important | Important |
| Work Experience | Considered | Important | Considered |
| Demonstrated Interest | Not Considered | Not Considered | Not Considered |
| Application Deadlines | |||
| Early Decision | Nov 1 | Not reported | Not reported |
| ED Notification | Dec 15 | — | — |
| Early Action | Nov 1 | Nov 1 | No EA program |
| EA Notification | Feb 15 | Jan 31 | — |
| Regular Decision | Jan 5 | Jan 15 | Rolling |
| RD Notification | Apr 1 | Mar 31 | Not reported |
| Transfer Priority | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| Waitlist | |||
| Students Offered Spot | 8,398 | 5,358 | Not reported |
| Accepted Offer | 5,225 | 2,278 | Not reported |
| Admitted from Waitlist | 125 | 2,049 | Not reported |
| Waitlist Admit Rate | 2% | 90% | Not reported |
| Transfer Admission | |||
| Transfer Applicants | 4,877 | 4,285 | Not reported |
| Transfer Admitted | 1,323 | 3,644 | Not reported |
| Transfer Enrolled | 864 | 1,960 | Not reported |
| Transfer Admit Rate | 27% | 85% | Not reported |
| Incoming Class Profile | |||
| From Top 10% of HS Class | 90.3% | 73% | 23% |
| From Top 25% of HS Class | 98.4% | 96% | 47.6% |
| Avg HS GPAScales differ by school | Not reported | Not reported | 3.85 |
| % Submitted SAT | 48.7% | 25% | 19% |
| % Submitted ACT | 14.5% | 42% | 53% |
Legend:
Very Important
Important
Considered
Not Considered
Source: Common Data Set 2025–26Common questions, answered for UVA, Ohio State, and Alabama
Pick a question to see how these schools compare side by side, with a plain-English takeaway under each chart. Getting in, what it costs, student life, and whether students finish.
Go deeper on one school
A column only holds so much. Each school’s page has the full cost curve by income, campus life and traditions, and who actually thrives there.