The following is a list of America's Senior Military Colleges (SMCs) by % commissioned into all the United States military service branches. Note: several Senior Military Colleges now directly commission into the United States Coast Guard, and those numbers are not listed.
Virginia Tech
Founded October 1, 1872
Total students: 36,383
Cadets: 1,285
Cadet Graduates: 265
Commissioned: 224
Commissioning rate: 85%
Army: 102
Navy: 65 (includes Marines)
Air Force: 57
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 2024" by Money Magazine
Also known as the "West Point of the South"
Founded November 11, 1839
Total Students (ALL Cadets): 1,512
Graduates: 342
Commissioned: 173
Commissioning rate: 51%
Army: 106
Navy: 32
Marine: 23
Air Force: 12
Endowment fund: $703.1 million
Acceptance Rate: Very 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%
Army: 85
Navy: 8
Marine: 5
Air Force: 12
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%
Army: 69
Navy: 21
Marine: 18
Air Force: 57
Endowment fund: $19.2 Billion (all campuses)
Acceptance Rate: Very Selective
Website:
www.tamu.edu
corps.tamu.edu
The Citadel
Established 1842
Total students: 3,721
Cadets: 2,238
Cadet Graduates: 487
Commissioned: 150
Corps Commissioning rate: 31%
Army: 102
Navy: 18
Marine: 21
Air Force: 9
Endowment fund: $423.6 million
Acceptance Rate: Not Selective
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
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.