Match #1
Radford University
Radford, VA
Profile closeness77/100
Admit rate90%
- 6,038 students
- Public
- Suburb: Small
- Graduation rate 48%, close to 43%
- Acceptance rate 90%, close to 90%
The colleges most similar to Old Dominion University are Radford University, George Mason University, and Virginia Commonwealth University. Old Dominion University admits 90% of applicants and has an average net price of $12,913 a year; 2 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 1 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with Old Dominion University. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to Old Dominion University
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA
Profile closeness74/100
Admit rate87%
- 27,752 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Acceptance rate 87%, close to 90%
- Average net price $14,697, close to $12,913
Match #3
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA
Profile closeness69/100
Admit rate93%
- 20,753 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Enrollment 20,753 students, close to 17,514
- Acceptance rate 93%, close to 90%
Match #4
Norfolk State University
Norfolk, VA
Profile closeness68/100
Admit rate88%
- 5,392 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 35%, close to 43%
- Average net price $12,180, close to $12,913
Match #5
Virginia State University
Petersburg, VA
Profile closeness68/100
Admit rate89%
- 5,074 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Graduation rate 37%, close to 43%
- Acceptance rate 89%, close to 90%
Match #6
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
Profile closeness52/100
Admit rate72%
- 20,888 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Enrollment 20,888 students, close to 17,514
- Same control type (public)
Match #7
University of Virginia-Main Campus UVA
Charlottesville, VA
Profile closeness50/100
Admit rate17%
- 17,597 students
- Public
- Suburb: Small
- Enrollment 17,597 students, close to 17,514
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #8
Longwood University
Farmville, VA
Profile closeness47/100
Admit rate90%
- 3,015 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Acceptance rate 90%, close to 90%
- Same control type (public)
Match #9
University of Virginia's College at Wise
Wise, VA
Profile closeness42/100
Admit rate29%
- 1,101 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Graduation rate 44%, close to 43%
- Same control type (public)
Match #10
University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg, VA
Profile closeness41/100
Admit rate80%
- 3,566 students
- Public
- Suburb: Midsize
- Same control type (public)
Questions about Old Dominion University alternatives
What colleges are similar to Old Dominion University?
The closest matches to Old Dominion University are Radford University, George Mason University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Norfolk State University, and Virginia State University. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is Old Dominion University hard to get into?
Old Dominion University admitted 90% of its 13,586 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 1 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which Old Dominion University alternatives cost less?
2 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Old Dominion University ($12,913 a year), including University of Virginia's College at Wise ($5,869) and Norfolk State University ($12,180). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
