VA
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
1.16 incidents / 1,000 students
Blacksburg, VA · Clery Act 2024 · Public
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Across 2022–2024, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University reported 131 incidents in the Clery Criminal Offenses section, and the yearly count fell over that span (largest filed category: Rape). Nearby same-state same-level comparison: George Mason University.
- 1.16
- Incidents / 1k students
- #715
- Rank of 2,072
- #40
- VA rank
- 38,857
- Enrolled students
1.16 reported score-category incidents per 1,000 students
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University reports 1.16 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 70% below University of Colorado Boulder. Similar-enrollment scored peers: University of Colorado Boulder (6.47/1k); The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (3.41/1k); University of South Carolina-Columbia (2.57/1k); North Carolina State University at Raleigh (2.99/1k); California State University-Northridge (3.55/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes George Mason University (3.12/1k); Virginia Commonwealth University (6.99/1k); University of Virginia-Main Campus (13.75/1k); Old Dominion University (3.92/1k); James Madison University (0.97/1k); ECPI University (0.08/1k); Regent University (0.19/1k); William & Mary (3.16/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Rape.
Data source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
- incidents / 1,000 students
- 1.16
- of 2,072 ranked nationally
- #715
- safer than ranked campuses its size
- 65%
- Criminal Offenses, 2024
- 33
Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
Data updated August 2026
Clery Act plate
Sheet 233921 · Virginia Polytechnic Institute and 1.16/1k score rate · #715/2,072
RATE-LOW · RANK-MID · ST-MID · BELOW-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-LARGE · FIRE-REPORT
- RATE-LOW 1.16/1k
- RANK-MID #715/2,072
- ST-MID #40 in state
- BELOW-PEER University of South Carolina-Columbia · 1.41 back
- ZERO-NONE Scored
- TREND-DOWN ↓ 21%
- CAT-LEAD Rape
- ENR-LARGE 38,857
- FIRE-REPORT 3 fires
Nearest enrollment peer: University of South Carolina-Columbia (+1.41/1k)
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University sheet RATE-LOW · RANK-MID · ST-MID · BELOW-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-LARGE · FIRE-REPORT · peer University of South Carolina-Columbia. Codes from this campus OPE filing: score-category rate, national/state rank, named enrollment peer, zero posture, Criminal Offenses trend, lead category, enrollment band, fire filing. Not a moving recommendation.
Clery plate RATE-LOW · RANK-MID · ST-MID · BELOW-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-LARGE · FIRE-REPORT. Nearest similar-enrollment peer is University of South Carolina-Columbia (+1.41/1k). National rank #715 of 2,072 scored campuses. Instrument codes from this campus OPE sheet; compare similarly sized peers before treating any single rate as decisive.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University reports 1.16 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 70% below University of Colorado Boulder. Similar-enrollment scored peers: University of Colorado Boulder (6.47/1k); The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (3.41/1k); University of South Carolina-Columbia (2.57/1k); North Carolina State University at Raleigh (2.99/1k); California State University-Northridge (3.55/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes George Mason University (3.12/1k); Virginia Commonwealth University (6.99/1k); University of Virginia-Main Campus (13.75/1k); Old Dominion University (3.92/1k); James Madison University (0.97/1k); ECPI University (0.08/1k); Regent University (0.19/1k); William & Mary (3.16/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Rape.
Peer-rate neighbourhood around Virginia Polytechnic Institute
Lowest/highest enrollment peers plus campuses nearest Virginia on score-category rate. Full ladder: /rankings/safest-campuses.
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and · this campus · lowest 1.16
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University — this campus · lowest
1.16 per 1,000 students
- University of South Carolina-Columbia · near 2.57
University of South Carolina-Columbia — near
2.57 per 1,000 students
- North Carolina State University · near
North Carolina State University at Raleigh — near
2.99 per 1,000 students
- The University of Tennessee-Knoxville · near
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville — near
3.41 per 1,000 students
- University of Colorado Boulder · highest peer
University of Colorado Boulder — highest peer
6.47 per 1,000 students
What this shows Neighbourhood of similar-enrollment peers around Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's 1.16/1k rate, not a full-corpus distribution reprint.
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2024
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University decreased from 56 to 33 reported on-campus incidents between the 2023 and 2024 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.
This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.
See national reporting-year changesSignature insight · size does not equal danger
Campus size vs reported safety rate
Among 37 VA 4-year peers in this comparison, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is larger than 97% and safer-reporting than 75% - the larger, safer-reporting quadrant. Axes are within-sample percentiles so outliers share the same frame; a higher safety percentile means a lower Clery incidents-per-1,000 rate.
Read the chart as text
- Point 1: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 100, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 2: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 94, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 28
- Point 3: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 92, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 3
- Point 4: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 89, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 50
- Point 5: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 86, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 81
- Point 6: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 83, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 89
- Point 7: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 81, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 86
- Point 8: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 78, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 61
- Point 9: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 75, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 56
- Point 10: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 72, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 31
- Point 11: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 69, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 11
- Point 12: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 67, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 44
- Point 13: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 61, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 83
- Point 14: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 61, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 8
- Point 15: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 58, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 67
- Point 16: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 56, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 78
- Point 17: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 53, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 58
- Point 18: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 50, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 19: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 47, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 92
- Point 20: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 44, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 19
- Point 21: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 42, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 25
- Point 22: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 39, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 0
- Point 23: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 36, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 92
- Point 24: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 33, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 69
- Point 25: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 31, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 42
- Point 26: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 28, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 47
- Point 27: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 25, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 92
- Point 28: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 22, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 14
- Point 29: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 19, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 53
- Point 30: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 17, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 22
- Point 31: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 14, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 17
- Point 32: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 11, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 6
- Point 33: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 33
- Point 34: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 6, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 39
- Point 35: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 3, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 36
- Point 36: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 0, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 92
- Virginia Polytechnic Insti…: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 97, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 75
Read the chart as a table
| Campus | Enrollment | Rate / 1k | Size pct | Safety pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington University of Science and Technology | 1,096 | 0.00 | 0 | 92 |
| Eastern Mennonite University | 1,154 | 5.20 | 3 | 36 |
| Eastern Virginia Medical School | 1,216 | 4.93 | 6 | 39 |
| Emory & Henry University | 1,311 | 5.34 | 8 | 33 |
| Bridgewater College | 1,448 | 12.43 | 11 | 6 |
| Averett University | 1,476 | 7.45 | 14 | 17 |
| Virginia Military Institute | 1,527 | 7.20 | 17 | 22 |
| Virginia Union University | 1,646 | 3.65 | 19 | 53 |
| Randolph-Macon College | 1,687 | 9.48 | 22 | 14 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach | 1,717 | 0.00 | 25 | 92 |
| Mary Baldwin University | 1,772 | 3.95 | 28 | 47 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (this campus) | 38,857 | 1.16 | 97 | 75 |
Sample of 12 campuses from the plot (sorted by enrollment). Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey + IPEDS enrollment. Rate = on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students; lower is safer-reporting, not a personal-risk forecast.
Enrollment scale
How campus size shapes the safety figures
With 38,857 enrolled students, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is the 64th largest of the 5,585 institutions in this dataset with a reported enrollment, ahead of 5,521 of them. Closest same-state same-level scored peers by enrollment: George Mason University (3.12/1k); Virginia Commonwealth University (6.99/1k); University of Virginia-Main Campus (13.75/1k); Old Dominion University (3.92/1k); James Madison University (0.97/1k); ECPI University (0.08/1k); Regent University (0.19/1k); William & Mary (3.16/1k). The score above normalizes 2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students, so compare it with similarly sized campuses instead of treating a higher raw count as evidence that a campus is less safe (University of Colorado Boulder is the nearest similar-enrollment comparison on this profile).
What changed between 2023 and 2024
Reported on-campus incidents at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University fell from 56 to 33 (-41%). The decrease shows up in Rape (18 to 6), Fondling (9 to 4) and Burglary (13 to 10).
This describes reported incidents, not crime. Clery counts move with reporting policy, awareness campaigns and how a campus staffs its security authorities, so a rise can reflect better capture of reports and a fall can reflect worse capture. One year of movement at a single campus is not a trend.
What actually gets reported at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Across 3 reporting years, on-campus incidents were recorded in 8 Clery Act categories here: Rape, Burglary, Fondling, Motor Vehicle Theft, Aggravated Assault, Arson, Robbery and Statutory Rape.
The remaining 3 categories were reported with no on-campus incidents, Incest, Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter and Negligent Manslaughter. Under the Clery Act that zero is an affirmative report that nothing in the category occurred, not an absence of data, which is why the table below lists those rows rather than dropping them.
Counts describe incidents reported under the Clery Act for the on-campus geography. Reporting practice varies between institutions, so counts are not a direct measure of relative safety.
Crime Statistics by Year
11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus onlyVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University: Criminal Offenses by year
Declining 21% (42 → 33 incidents)
Read the chart as text
| Period | On-campus incidents |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 42 |
| 2023 | 56 |
| 2024 | 33 |
| Crime Type | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rape | 6 | 18 | 19 |
| Burglary | 10 | 13 | 8 |
| Fondling | 4 | 9 | 8 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 8 | 9 | 4 |
| Aggravated Assault | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Arson | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Statutory Rape | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Table figures show the Criminal Offenses section; other Clery tables are separate
Fire Safety
| Year | Fires | Inj. | Deaths | Cat I | Cat II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arrests & Disciplinary Actions
108 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 3 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University vs peer institutions
Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment
Scores are $2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer in those categories).
CO
University of Colorado Boulder
6.47 incidents / 1,000 students
TN
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
3.41 incidents / 1,000 students
Cost context
Where Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University sits on price and outcomes
At $24,953, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's reported average net price is cheaper than 81% among 107 Virginia colleges with a reported figure. The state median is $19,096.
- $24,953
- average net price
- $19,096
- Virginia median
- 3.1×
- six-year earnings to median debt
- $22,512
- reported income-bracket spread
Aid here is steeply income-scaled. Families reporting under $30,000 of income record a net price of $11,689, while those above $110,000 record $34,201 - roughly 2.9 times as much. A published average of $24,953 therefore describes very few families well; the bracket nearest your own income is the more useful figure.
Median reported earnings six years after entry are $67,377, roughly 2.7 times a year of net price. That is a workable ratio, though it says nothing about how long the programme takes to finish.
Average net price reflects grant and scholarship aid for aided students, not a personal offer. Earnings cover former students who received federal aid; neither measure predicts an individual's outcome.
Academic & Financial Profile
Tuition & Costs
- In-State Tuition
- $15,948
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $37,764
- Avg Net Price
- $24,953
- Median Debt
- $21,500
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 15%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 55%
- SAT Average
- 1364
- SAT Math Range
- 640-740
- ACT Average
- 29
- ACT Range
- 28-32
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 86%
- Retention Rate
- 93%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $67,377
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $81,698
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 86%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Similar Institutions
Showing 5 of 209 similar institutions by enrollment size.
University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, CO · 38,799 enrolled
Safety Score 6.47
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Knoxville, TN · 38,728 enrolled
Safety Score 3.41
University of South Carolina-Columbia
Columbia, SC · 38,532 enrolled
Safety Score 2.57
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh, NC · 38,464 enrolled
Safety Score 2.99
California State University-Northridge
Northridge, CA · 38,313 enrolled
Safety Score 3.55
Closest by National Rank
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (national rank #715) sits near Nicholls State University (#716) and College of Micronesia-FSM (#714) on the scored national list, nearest by rank, not by size or state.
Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate
Two Clery-derived peer sets for Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, both outside VA so the neighborhoods are not state containment (Similar Institutions and national-rank neighbors above stay enrollment- or rank-based).
Similar enrollment (nationwide)
University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, CO · 38,799 enrolled
Safety score 6.47
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Knoxville, TN · 38,728 enrolled
Safety score 3.41
University of South Carolina-Columbia
Columbia, SC · 38,532 enrolled
Safety score 2.57
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh, NC · 38,464 enrolled
Safety score 2.99
California State University-Northridge
Northridge, CA · 38,313 enrolled
Safety score 3.55
Collin County Community College District
Mckinney, TX · 39,548 enrolled
Safety score 0.56
Austin Community College District
Austin, TX · 39,727 enrolled
Safety score 4.05
Boston University
Boston, MA · 37,737 enrolled
Safety score 1.67
Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)
Nicholls State University
Thibodaux, LA · 6,043 enrolled
Safety score 1.16
College of Micronesia-FSM
Pohnpei, FM · 1,729 enrolled
Safety score 1.16
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Menomonie, WI · 6,926 enrolled
Safety score 1.16
Prescott College
Prescott, AZ · 867 enrolled
Safety score 1.15
South Seattle College
Seattle, WA · 5,210 enrolled
Safety score 1.15
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA · 42,003 enrolled
Safety score 1.17
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, GA · 27,423 enrolled
Safety score 1.17
University of Minnesota-Crookston
Crookston, MN · 2,612 enrolled
Safety score 1.15
DOE Enforcement Actions
2011 Clery Act Violation $55,000
Failure to provide timely warnings during the 2007 campus shooting that killed 32 people. DOE found the university waited too long to notify students of the initial shooting.
Fine paid. Led to nationwide improvements in emergency notification systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University safe?
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University has a safety score of 1.16 (2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #715 nationally out of 2,072 ranked institutions - nearest similar-enrollment comparison: University of Colorado Boulder (6.47/1k). Same-state same-level set: George Mason University (3.12/1k); Virginia Commonwealth University (6.99/1k); University of Virginia-Main Campus (13.75/1k); Old Dominion University (3.92/1k); James Madison University (0.97/1k); ECPI University (0.08/1k); Regent University (0.19/1k); William & Mary (3.16/1k).
What crimes are reported at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University?
For calendar year 2024, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University reported Burglary (10), Motor Vehicle Theft (8), Rape (6), Aggravated Assault (4) and Fondling (4), and 1 further category in the Criminal Offenses section. Every other category in that section was reported at zero; other Clery tables are separate.
How does Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University compare to similar schools?
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University reports 70% fewer 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 than University of Colorado Boulder. Scored similar-enrollment peers on this page: University of Colorado Boulder (6.47/1k); The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (3.41/1k); University of South Carolina-Columbia (2.57/1k); North Carolina State University at Raleigh (2.99/1k); California State University-Northridge (3.55/1k). Same-state same-level set: George Mason University (3.12/1k); Virginia Commonwealth University (6.99/1k); University of Virginia-Main Campus (13.75/1k); Old Dominion University (3.92/1k); James Madison University (0.97/1k); ECPI University (0.08/1k); Regent University (0.19/1k); William & Mary (3.16/1k).
Does Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University have fire safety data?
Yes. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. 3 fires were reported in the most recent year.
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice.