This is not a university brochure or a technical summary of federal reports. It is a translation, into language families can understand, of what University of Vermont reported about itself to the United States government. This will not finish your research. It will help you start it well.
Who University of Vermont is
University of Vermont is in Burlington, Vermont, within Chittenden County, in the Burlington-South Burlington metropolitan area. Its census code places it within a city, which tells you where it is, not how to get there. If your child plans to live at home and drive every day, do not rely on what the map says: make the trip on a weekday, at the exact time of your child’s classes. The actual travel time is almost never what Google Maps promises.
It is a public institution offering programs lasting four years or more, and the highest degree level it reports offering is the doctorate. Carnegie, the system that classifies United States universities by what they do, places it among doctoral universities with high research activity. It also identifies it as a large, highly residential four-year school: in the data used for that classification (2019-20), at least half of its degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in institution-provided housing, and at least 80 out of every 100 attended full time. In its undergraduate admissions profile, Carnegie places it in the more selective group.
All of this is context, not a verdict. Being “highly residential” does not mean your child is required to move there or that living on campus is free: room and board are charged separately, as you will see later. And Carnegie calling it “more selective” does not tell you how many out of every hundred applicants are admitted. That number exists, and we will look at it.
It is also identified as a Land Grant Institution in the 2023 federal file. Of the 3,012 institutions in this database, 80 have the same designation. It is a historical designation, not a promise of services or quality. It does not tell you which scholarships exist today or who will answer the phone in April when you call with questions. Ask about those things by name: which student center exists, which scholarship applies, and who responds.
The size of the community your child would join
University of Vermont reported 14,320 enrolled students in its official fall count. It is a large school, in the federal size category of between 10,000 and 19,999 students. Compared with the other 519 selective-admission, public four-year schools in this same census, its size is among the most common: neither among the giants nor among the small schools.
Of that total, 12,168 are undergraduate students and 2,152 are graduate students. Above all, it is a school focused on bachelor’s education.
But the institution’s size does not tell you the size of a classroom. The fact that the university as a whole has fourteen thousand students does not mean first-year classes are crowded. Ask directly: how many students are in each first-semester class, and how many are in the specific major that interests your child.
Who makes up that community matters to many families, and there is a fact here worth stating directly, without dressing it up: among undergraduate students in the fall of 2023, 5 out of every 100 are Hispanic or Latino. It is a small minority. Compared with the 519 similar schools in this census, University of Vermont falls in the bottom quarter: three out of every four similar schools reported a higher proportion.
Having few Latino students does not make the school bad, just as having many would not make it good. It is simply a fact about who is enrolled. If your child will be one of the few, it is worth asking what Latino student group exists, whether there is a cultural center, whether anyone in the admissions or student support office speaks Spanish, and—most usefully—speaking with a Latino student who is already there before deciding. The number is for the entire school; your child’s experience within a particular major may look different.
Other features of this community: there are more women than men (64 out of every 100 are women), there are almost no adult students (only 4 out of every 100 are between 25 and 64 years old), and almost everyone comes from outside the state: fewer than 25 out of every 100 first-time students reported permanent residence in Vermont—exactly 18 out of every 100. The rest come from other states or other countries, or their residence was not reported; the data do not separate those three categories.
How academic life is organized
The year at University of Vermont is organized into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. The university reported that it accepts credit from AP exams, but it did not indicate that it accepts credit for life experience. It also stated that it enrolls high school students in college courses for credit, both within and outside a formal dual-enrollment program, and that it accepts credit for military training.
Here is a truth many families discover late: saying that AP credit is accepted does not mean the university awards credit for every exam at every score. The report does not say what scores are required or whether those credits will count toward your child’s specific major. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for savings of time or money until you have it in hand.
As for what students can study: between July 2022 and June 2023, University of Vermont awarded 2,603 bachelor’s degrees across 24 fields-of-study families, which the government calls CIP families. No family accounts for a large share: the most popular was biological and biomedical sciences, and even it represented only 13 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year. Compared with 514 similar schools, University of Vermont falls in the quarter with the most fields-of-study families represented in its offerings. Its offerings are broad.
But “24 families represented in the report” does not mean 24 guaranteed majors or 24 families in which degrees were actually awarded: one family can group several programs, and some rows may report zero. Verify the exact program that interests your child by name, not by category.
As for how many students there are per professor, the reported ratio is 17 full-time students per full-time-equivalent faculty member. Compared with the 519 similar schools, it falls in the middle—neither among the lowest nor among the highest. This number does not tell you the actual size of a classroom; it is an institutional ratio, not a measure of your child’s experience in a particular course.
The paths the university says it offers
University of Vermont reports offering study abroad, as well as paths related to teacher education: preparation for certification to teach below the college level, the opportunity to complete preparation there in certain teacher-specialization areas, and state approval of its initial teacher-certification program.
If your child is interested in any of these paths, this tells you that they exist as reported options. It does not tell you the program details, requirements, or outcomes. Ask the appropriate department directly about those.
What it takes to get in: the application, selectivity, and who actually enrolls
This is where many families get nervous, so let us take it slowly and use the exact numbers.
University of Vermont does not have open admission: it reviews several parts of an application before saying yes. Of the nine considerations the government asks about, not counting standardized tests or legacy status, it marked six as required: the high school record, high school GPA, completion of the college-preparatory subjects the university requires, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, and an English-proficiency exam for applicants to whom it applies. Although they are not required, it also considers your child’s class rank and work experience if submitted.
This is a long application. It is not put together in one night; it takes time. The published application fee is $55. The essay is required: have your child start it during the summer, not the week before the deadline. The first draft is almost never the one that gets submitted.
Now, the numbers everyone wants to know. In the 2023 cycle, University of Vermont received 28,236 first-time applications. Of those applicants, 16,947 were offered a place: that is 60 out of every 100. Compared with the 519 similar schools in this census, it is on the less selective side: seven out of every ten of those schools, or more, accepted a higher percentage of their applicants.
Put another way: out of every 100 who applied, 60 received a yes. Admission is not automatic, but it is not a lottery either. The application is reviewed closely.
But here is a distinction that changes how everything else should be read: being admitted is not the same as enrolling. Out of every 100 admitted first-time students, only 17 ultimately enrolled in the fall of 2023. The remaining 83, with acceptance letters in hand, chose another path. Compared with similar schools, this proportion falls in the middle, neither high nor low.
Do not read this as a mark against the university. The federal record does not explain why each person made the decision they did. What is useful to you is this: what other people did with their letters does not tell you what will happen with your child’s. Wait for the admission letter together with the net price—what the year will actually cost—and, with that number in hand, decide together whether this school stays on the list.
As for standardized tests, the SAT and ACT are not required at University of Vermont. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application proceeds just the same. Of the students who enrolled, 35 out of every 100 submitted SAT scores, and among them the middle half scored between 640 and 720 in reading and writing and between 610 and 700 in mathematics. That range describes students who had already enrolled and submitted scores—not all applicants—so 640 is not a minimum your child must reach, and 720 does not guarantee anything either.
As for transfers: in the fall of 2023, University of Vermont enrolled 365 undergraduate students who arrived for the first time after studying at another institution. Compared with similar schools, that number places it in the lower half, although it is a count of people, not a proportion, and depends on the school’s size. This report does not say how many credits were accepted when they arrived—that is something to ask transfer admissions directly—and it does not report the rate of students who left this institution for another school.
The published price and why the “in-state” label matters so much
At University of Vermont, among 41 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district rate, and had EFC records showing family income below $30,000, the average net price was $11,958. Among 49 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $17,261; among 109 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $28,049. For dependent students, the income band combines their parents’ income with their own.
There is a difference of $16,091 between the average for the lowest-income band (41 students) and the average for the highest-income band (109 students). These are group averages, not a prediction of your family’s price. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship, the average was $22,062.
$11,958 was the average net price for families in the lowest-income band in the 2022-23 academic year. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you determine whether it is worth requesting the financial aid letter.
Because the price changes so much from one income band to another, identifying yours correctly comes first. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average for students receiving grants or scholarships, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The financial aid letter sent to you is what matters.
The aid that does reach students, and the aid that does not always reach them
At University of Vermont, 91 out of every 100 degree-seeking students received some grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Receiving something is the norm there, not the exception. Compared with the 519 similar schools, it falls in the quarter where grants and scholarships reach the most students. Among recipients, the annual average was $18,519.
But there is an important distinction: the Pell Grant—federal aid for students with demonstrated financial need—reached only 13 out of every 100 students. That means at least 78 out of every 100 received aid that was not Pell but came from another source: the state, the university itself, or somewhere else. The report groups everything under “aid” without telling you where each dollar came from, so it cannot tell you exactly what your child would receive.
A high “receives aid” number is not a personal promise. It is what happened to other students in the 2022-23 school year. Ask in writing which applications must be completed, what the deadlines are, and what happens to the scholarship if your child’s grades fall during any semester.
As for loans, 38 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan in the 2022-23 school year—more than two out of every ten, but fewer than half. Among those who borrowed, the average amount per borrower that year was $6,079. Compared with similar schools, this proportion falls in the middle.
This percentage describes other families, not yours. And that average of $6,079 is for only one year and only federal loans in the student’s name: it does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, bank debt, or credit-card debt, and it is not the total debt with which someone graduates after several years. Determining that would require adding every year of the degree program, and that number is not in this report.
As for ways to pay, University of Vermont reports offering an installment tuition-payment plan.
Campus life, learning formats, and reported support
University of Vermont does have institution-controlled housing, with a reported maximum capacity of 6,734 students on or off campus. It does not require all first-time, full-time students to live there—that rules out a universal requirement; it does not say that no program has one. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies by plan. The existence of housing does not guarantee that a bed will be available or a place secured: ask in writing for this year’s rate, the application deadline, and whether your child is guaranteed a place or will join a waiting list.
ROTC is available, and the only branch confirmed in writing in the report is Army; neither Navy nor Air Force is marked. If your child is interested in another branch, “not marked” does not mean impossible: it means you need to ask directly.
The university competes in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NCAA. It specifically reports membership in basketball and cross-country or track and field. This membership belongs to the institution, not to your child: if your child is interested in competing, write directly to the coach for that sport and ask in writing whether there is a place on the team, which division it competes in, and whether that sport awards athletic scholarships.
As for learning format, it does offer distance education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, although in the fall count only 2 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all their classes at a distance; the other 98 took at least one class in person. It also reported offering at least one complete program that can be finished at a distance, although the data do not specify whether that complete program is at the undergraduate or graduate level: confirm the level and exact field of study if this interests your child.
The library operates with paid staff and has annual expenditures above the $100,000 threshold recorded by the government; it has physical and digital materials and participates in interlibrary lending. Exceeding that threshold does not guarantee that the specific databases needed for your child’s major are available: ask about them by the major’s name.
Finally, the institution reports these services: combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services for graduates, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military personnel, a student veterans organization, and a published web address for disability services. The fact that these services are reported does not indicate how accessible, fast, or effective they are in practice. That also must be asked and verified.
How likely your child is to stay and earn a degree
For many families, this is the most important section, so it is worth reading in full.
Of the first-time, full-time class that entered in the fall of 2022 (2,991 students), 88 out of every 100 met the official retention criterion: they were still enrolled at University of Vermont one year later or had already completed their bachelor’s degree. Compared with the 519 similar schools, this proportion places it near the top: it retained more students than most of its peers.
It is a high number, and it must be stated precisely: it combines two different groups—those still studying and those who had already earned a degree within one year—without separating them, and it does not explain what happened to the remaining 12.
As for graduation: of the class that began a bachelor’s degree in 2017 (2,621 first-time, full-time students), 2,059 had a degree in hand six years later. That is 79 out of every 100. At the four-year mark, the figure falls to 70 out of every 100—a difference of 9 points between those who graduate “on time” and those who graduate with a little more time.
Compared with 518 similar schools in this census, University of Vermont is among those that graduate the most students: nine out of every ten similar schools, or more, reported an equal or lower proportion.
It is a strong number. Even so, a high percentage is not a promise for your child in particular: it is what happened to the class that entered in 2017. What is within your family’s control is making sure your child starts with all credits in order and knows, from the first semester, who the academic advisor is and when to register for the courses the specific major requires.
There is a third measure, covering eight years, that is worth mentioning because it tells a more complete story. IPEDS followed a cohort of 3,137 undergraduate students who entered between July 2015 and June 2016—this cohort combines first-time students and students with prior college experience, both full-time and part-time. As of August 2023, 77 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from University of Vermont. Among Pell Grant recipients, the figure was 72 out of every 100—seven points below the group that did not receive Pell. Compared with similar schools, this places it in the top quarter.
The rest of that story remains incomplete in the report: 16 out of every 100 are described in a way that does not make it possible to determine precisely whether they were still enrolled on that exact date, and that figure also does not rule out the possibility that some had already earned a degree at another institution. Incomplete data do not become zero and do not justify assuming that students dropped out.
Again, this describes an earlier cohort; it does not determine your child’s outcome. What is worth doing is asking about the current support available in the program your child would enter and looking for outcomes from more recent cohorts than the one we just reviewed.
How all of this fits into your family’s decision
You have now seen a map of one important piece: who University of Vermont is, how it admits students, what it costs under its two pricing structures, how much aid it distributes, and how likely earlier cohorts have been to stay and earn a degree there.
This does not tell you whether your child will be happy in Burlington, whether that specific major is the right one, or whether your family can or wants to pay the difference between $35,798 and $60,798 per year based on residency status. That part is not in any federal report. It depends on what your child wants to study and has built so far, and on what your family can and is willing to pay.
Put this piece together with those other two. A real plan comes from that combination—not from this profile alone. If you live in Vermont, the price gap does not affect you in the same way it affects a family from out of state. If your child already knows that biology is the goal, it makes sense to ask about that specific program by name. If the family budget is tight, requesting the net-price letter before falling in love with the university is, quite simply, the healthiest thing you can do.
No one will hand you a completed decision. But now you understand what the official data can tell you, and you know exactly which questions to bring to the next phone call, the next email, and the next campus visit.
Source note: The information in this article comes from public reports from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the United States Department of Education, corresponding to different cycles between 2022 and 2024 depending on the indicator. Best College Aid does not represent University of Vermont or any government agency; this article is an independent public-information effort intended to help families understand data that are already public.