UVM: the complete school report for parents
UVM puts the most weight on course rigor and GPA. The academic record does most of the work. It does not consider legacy and the interview, so family connections carry no weight. UVM admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Applying Early Decision changes the odds sharply here: 91.7% of ED applicants were admitted against 73.0% overall.
UVM is officially University of Vermont. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.
What does UVM actually weigh in admissions?
UVM rates 2 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA. It does not consider 3 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is UVM's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How UVM rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Considered |
| the essay | Important |
| extracurricular activities | Important |
| recommendations | Important |
| personal qualities | Important |
| talent | Important |
| class rank | Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Considered |
| the interview | Not Considered |
| legacy | Not Considered |
| first-generation status | Important |
| geography | Important |
| state residency | Important |
| volunteer work | Important |
| work experience | Important |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does UVM consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does UVM consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does UVM consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UVM consider the application essay?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UVM consider extracurricular activities?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UVM consider recommendation letters?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UVM consider character and personal qualities?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UVM consider a special talent or ability?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UVM consider class rank?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UVM consider demonstrated interest?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UVM consider an interview?
No. UVM does not consider it. There is no interview to prepare for.
Does UVM consider legacy status?
No. UVM does not consider it. A parent or grandparent who attended gives no advantage.
Does UVM consider being first-generation?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UVM consider where we live?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UVM consider state residency?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UVM consider volunteer work?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UVM consider work experience?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UVM consider religious affiliation?
No. UVM does not consider it.
What is the UVM waitlist really like?
UVM offered a place on its waiting list to 2,752 applicants and 1,054 accepted one. 142 were ultimately admitted. That is 13.5% of those who waited.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
UVM admitted 84.0% of 827 transfer applicants, against 73.0% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
Applying Early Decision changes the odds materially: 91.7% of ED applicants were admitted against 73.0% overall, a gap of 19 points. ED is binding, so that advantage costs the ability to compare financial-aid offers.
| Regular application deadline | January 15 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | Not reported |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | Yes |
| Early Decision deadline | November 1 |
| Early Action offered | Yes |
| Early Action deadline | November 1 |
| Application fee | $55 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What will UVM actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $19,343 a year at UVM after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $16,606. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 82.7% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 1,359 merit awards averaging $18,070 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
What families at each income level actually paid:
| Family income | Average net price per year |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $11,127 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $13,373 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $14,339 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $20,926 |
| Over $110,000 | $25,775 |
54% of UVM graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $34,870 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $222 a month in repayment. UVM’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from UVM pay off?
Graduates earn a median $62,472 ten years after entering, and $48,164 at six years. 81% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 81% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:
| Family income | Four-year net cost | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $44,508 | 2.4 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $53,492 | 2.9 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $57,356 | 3.1 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $83,704 | 4.5 |
| Over $110,000 | $103,100 | 5.6 |
A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.
$87,582 to $37,794, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at UVM:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | $87,582 | 88 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $83,614 | 217 |
| Computer Science | $81,636 | 90 |
| Mathematics | $81,078 | 51 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $78,720 | 107 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $69,851 | 58 |
| Political Science and Government | $61,321 | 92 |
| Biology, General | $60,654 | 115 |
| Nutrition Sciences | $60,462 | 45 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $47,371 | 64 |
| Animal Sciences | $42,941 | 73 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | $37,794 | 41 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
89% of first-years return for a second year. 80% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 80.0% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 81.0% of everyone else, a gap of 1.0 points.
How big are the classes?
43% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 6% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 17:1, and 77% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by New England Commission on Higher Education.
What is life at UVM like?
12,159 undergraduates, 80.4% of first-years from out of state. 98.3% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 34.7% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 6.6% of men join a fraternity and 3.4% of women a sorority. 12% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $74,257.
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
- Early Decision is worth 19 points of admit rate, but it is binding and removes any ability to compare aid offers.
- The waitlist is live but thin: 142 of 1,054 who waited were admitted, about 13%.
- Its highest-earning major returns $87,582 five years out against $37,794 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about UVM
Does the UVM waitlist move?
1,054 students accepted a place on the UVM waiting list and 142 were admitted in the 2025-2026 cycle.
What do UVM graduates earn?
UVM graduates earn a median $62,472 ten years after entering, and 81% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with UVM
- URIAdmissions report · 74.6% admit rate
- UAFAdmissions report · 64.2% admit rate
- San Jose State UniversityAdmissions report · 80.4% admit rate
- Sacramento StateAdmissions report · 93.6% admit rate
- SUNY Stony Brook State University of New York at Stony BrookAdmissions report · 48.2% admit rate
- City | City College | CCNY | City College of New YorkAdmissions report · 58.0% admit rate
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: UVM’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.