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Senior Military Colleges are a premier source of officers for our military. There are 6 Senior Military Colleges in the USA
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Senior Military Colleges At A Glance
The following is a list of America's Senior Military Colleges (SMCs)
Note: several Senior Military Colleges now directly commission into the United States Coast Guard.
2025 DATA
Virginia Tech
Founded October 1, 1872
Total students: 36,383
Cadets: 1,285
Cadet Graduates: 265
Commissioned: 224
Commissioning rate: 85%
Endowment fund: $1.7 billion
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Website:
www.vt.edu
www.vtcc.vt.edu
Virginia Military Institute
"Awarded one of America's Best Colleges 2025” by Money Magazine
The "West Point of the South"
Founded November 11, 1839
Total Students (ALL Cadets): 1,512
Graduates: 342
Commissioned: 173
Commissioning rate: 61%
Endowment fund: $703.1 million
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Website:
www.vmi.edu
Norwich University
Founded August 6, 1819
Total students: 1,955
Cadets: 1,025
Cadet Graduates: 223
Commissioned: 110
Corps Commissioning rate: 49%
Endowment fund: $214.3 million
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Website:
www.Norwich.edu
home.norwich.edu/on/corps-cadets
Texas A&M
Founded October 4, 1876
Total Students: 72,982
Cadets: 2,516 (largest cadet corps outside of SAs)
Cadet Graduates: 416 (approx)
Commissioned: 165
Corps Commissioning Rate: 40%
Endowment fund: $19.2 Billion (all campuses)
Acceptance Rate: Very Selective
Website:
www.tamu.edu
corps.tamu.edu
The Citadel
A Comprehensive College with a military program
Established 1842
Total students: 3,721
Cadets: 2,238
Commissioned: 150
Corps Commissioning rate: 31%
Endowment fund: $423.6 million
Acceptance Rate: Not Selective. 100% of those who apply are admitted.
Website:
www.citadel.edu
www.citadel.edu/corps/
University of North Georgia
* Commissions Army Only 3 times per year
Founded January 7, 1873
Total students: 7,721
Cadets: 773
Fall 2023
Cadets Graduated 34
Commissioned Army 27 for 79%
Spring 2024
Cadets Graduated 64
Commissioned Army 52 for 81%
Endowment fund: $55.6 million
Acceptance Rate: Not Selective
Website:
www.ung.edu
www.ung.edu/military-college-admissions/index.php
What Makes SMCs Different?
Today, most SMCs have civilian students and a Corps of Cadets. The only exception is Virginia Military Institute, which still remains all-military (like the service academies).
For Example: VMI and Virginia Tech once played a football rivalry called the “Military Classic of the South.” That rivalry stopped because Virginia Tech grew and became a larger university while VMI remained a military college. Today, the “Military Classic of the South” is played between cadets from VMI and a combination of civilian students and cadets from The Citadel. Although VMI and The Citadel still play a football rivalry for a “Silver Shako”, many Citadel athletes are civilians and have never worn a shako, thus many speculate this outdated rivalry will soon come to an end.
SMCs are different than regular colleges and universities and their ROTC programs.
Cadets at a Senior Military College are different.
Typically SMC cadets set a higher standard at varied military training and SMCs routinely are recognized as the Nation's Best ROTC programs.
SMC Cadets are part of unique schools with unique traditions.
They are afforded more options and they are guaranteed an active duty commission upon graduation.
All SMC cadets are authorized to take ROTC programs all four years, but taking a commission on graduation remains optional, unlike other colleges where ROTC cadets are required to sign a contract to take commission before entering their final two years.
Under federal law, the ROTC programs at the senior military colleges are treated differently. Unlike ROTC at other schools, the Department of Defense is prohibited from closing or reducing the ROTC programs at an SMC, even during time of war.
Another distinction of the SMC system is that all cadets at the SMCs are guaranteed active duty commissions when they graduate.